AY: 2018-9

TUTORIAL # 1 - LIMITS

Recall:
If f ( x ) is algebraic, exponential, logarithmic, sine or cosine function, then lim f ( x ) = f ( a )
x→a

1. Determine the following limits:

2
(a) lim  
x→ 7  3 
(b) lim ( 4 + 5 x − 2 x 2 )
x →− 3
(c) lim
x→2
(1 + 6 x 2 )
(d) lim10e 2 x
x→0
(e) lim ln (2 x − 1)
x →1
(f) lim 3 x−4
x → 4 6 x+1
( )
3
 sin  π x  
  3π 
(i) lim  1−x  
 6 
(g) lim  2θ2θ−1  (h) limπ cos  2θ − 
θ→    x → 1  5e 
θ→
1 4 
2 2  
Recall:
If the limits, lim f ( x) and lim g ( x), both exist, then :
x →a x→a
(i ) lim kf ( x) = k lim f ( x) ( ii ) lim [ f ( x) ± g ( x) ] = lim f ( x) ± lim g ( x)
x→a x →a x→a x →a x→a

 f ( x)  xlim f ( x)
(iii ) lim [ f ( x) g ( x)] = lim f ( x) × lim g ( x)
→a
(iv) lim  =
x →a x→a x → a g ( x) 
x→a   xlim
→a
g ( x)

2. Evaluate the following limits, if they exist:

(a) lim 4 x − 9
2
x → 2 3x + 7( ) (b) limπ θ 2 sin 2θ 
θ→
4
(c) lim 
 t 2 − 25 
t → −5 t + 5 
 
 9− x  2
 t 2 − t − 20   7 
t → 5 2t − 9t − 5 
(d) lim  2 lim  2
x→ 3 x − 3 x 
(e) (f) lim 
x → +∞  x − 15 

   
 9x − 2x 
2
 2 x − 3x − 11 
4
 y2 − 2 y +1 
(g) lim  2  (h) lim  2
x→ − ∞ 5 x + 9 x + 7 
(i) lim 
x → +∞ 2 x − 3 x + 87 y→ ∞ 8 − 5 y − 2 y3 
     
n
 10 x 2 − 7 x3 + x   3x 1  1
+ x 22 + 6 − e x  (l) lim 1 + 
x→ ∞ 8 x − 5 x − 2 x 2 
(j) lim  3 (k) lim 
x→ ∞  8 − 2 x e  n → +∞  n
 

1 − x 2 , x ≤ 2
3. A piece-wise function is defined by: f ( x ) =  , evaluate :
5 − 4 x, x > 2
(a) 6 f ( 2 ) − 4 f ( 3) + f ( −5 ) (b) lim f ( x ) (c) lim f ( x )
x→ 0 x→ +∞
(d) lim− f ( x ) (e) lim+ f ( x ) (f) lim f ( x )
x→ 2 x→ 2 x→ 2
 4. Figure 1 shows the piece-wise graph of y = f ( x ) . By looking at the graph, determine the
following where possible:

(a) lim f ( x ) (b) lim f ( x ) (c) lim− f ( x ) (d) lim+ f ( x )

x→ 2 x→ +∞ x→ 1 x→ 1

(e) lim f ( x) (f) lim− f ( x ) (g) lim+ f ( x ) (h) lim f ( x )

x →1 x→ 4 x→ 4 x→ 4

Figure 1

 3e x + 2 , x ≤ −2

5. Given g ( x) =  x 2 − 1, − 2 < x < 5 , find where possible:
 7 x−11
 4− x , x > 5
(i) lim g ( x) (ii) lim g ( x) (iii) lim g ( x)
x→7 x → −2 x→5


3 - x - 2 x 2 , x < -1

6. Given the piecewise function h( x ) =  1 , x = -1 , determine the value of the
x
 ( ) 2

 3+ x , x > -1
4

following limits if they exist: (i) lim h( x ) (ii) lim h( x )

x → −3 x → −1

 x 2 − 2 x + 3k , x < −4
7. If lim f ( x ) exists for the piecewise function f ( x) =  ,
x →−4
 kx + 10, x ≥ −4
determine the value of k .
August 2018

‘ There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens . . . . . . . . . . .
a time to plant . . . . . . .’ Eccl3: 1-2