CHAPTER 7

LIMITS OF FUNCTIONS

MATHEMATICS 2
FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
 A Definition Of Limits of Functions
The word or approaches or almost can be analogized as limit in mathematics.
There are two important ideas to understand the definition of limits of
functions, that is :
1. Observing the graph of a function surrounding the point being observed.
2. Calculating the value of the function surrounding the point being
observed.

Intuitively, the definition of limit can be defined

As follows :
The expression of lim f ( x)  L shows that
x a
If x approche as a but x  a , then the
Value of f (x) approaches L.
 B Limits of algebraic Functions
1. Limits of function f (x) for x  a
a. Method of Subtitution
if the function of f (x) has a certain value for x  a then lim f ( x)  f (a)
xa

Example
Determine the value of following limits of function :
a. lim (5x  3) b. x2  4
x 0 lim
x2 x2
Answers :
a. lim (5x  3)  5.0  3  0  3  3 . Them, lim (5x  3)  3.
x o x 0

x 2  4 22  4 4  4 0 x2  4
b. lim     0 . Them , lim  0.
X 2 x  2 22 4 4 x2 x  2
b. Method of Factorization or Multiplication by Wholly Rational
For lim (5x  3) and f (a)  0 (undefined form), the value of limit of function
x 0 g (a) 0
can be found by factorizing or multiplying by wholly rational.
Example
Determine the following limits of function :
x 1
a. lim x  3 B. lim
x 3 2 x  6 x  1
1 x  2

Answers :
x3 ( x  3) 1
a. lim  lim  Remember
x 3 2 x  6 x 3 2( x  6) 2
wholly rational of
b. lim x 1 ( x  1) 1 x  2 Is :
 lim X
x 1
1 x  2 x 1
1 x  2 1 x  2
a b
( x  1)(1  x  2)
 lim a  b.
x  1
(1  x  2)(1  x  2)
( x  1)(1  x  2)
 lim
x  1 1  ( x  2)
( x  1)(1  x  2)
 lim   lim (1  x  2 )
x  1  x 1 x  1

 (1   1  2 )  2
2. Limit of the Function
a. The Form of lim
f ( x)
x  g ( x)
f ( x) 1
Considering the following limit of function.. lim  lim
x  g ( x ) x  x

The solution to this kind of limit is done by dividing f x  and g (x) by xn

, where n is the highest power of the denominator.
Example
Determine the value of every following limit of functions!
3x  5 4x  1
a. lim
x  x  7
b. lim 2
x  x 2
Answers:
a. The numerator of f (x)and the denominator of g (x) each is divided by x,
since the highest power of the denominator is 1, so
5
3
3x  5 x  30  3  3
lim  lim
x  x  7 x  7 1 0 1
1
x
b. The highest power of the denominator is 2. then divide the numenator and the
denominator by
4 1

4x  1 x x2 0
lim    0
x  x 2  2 2 1
1
x2
b. The Form of lim
x 
 f ( x)  g ( x)
A limit of this from can be solved gy multiplying the limit by its wholly
rational, that is f ( x)  g ( x) , then divide it by x with the highest power of the
denominator. f ( x)  g ( x)
Example
Determine the value of lim ( x 2  4 x  5  x 2  x  2 ).
x 

Answer : lim ( x 2  4 x  5  x 2  x  2 ).
x 
x 2  4x  5  x2  x  2
 lim ( x  4 x  5 
2
x  x  2 ).x
2
x 
x 2  4x  5  x2  x  2
x 2  4 x  5  ( x 2  x  2)
 lim
x 
x 2  4x  5  x 2  x  2
5x  3
 lim
x 
x 2  4x  5  x2  x  2
5x 
3 (divided by x)
 lim x
x 
4 5 1 2
1
 2  1  2
x x x x
50 5
 
11 2
 C Limits theorems
Let k be a constant, the function of f and g has a limit for x  a, a  R
, then it holds :
1. lim k  k
xa

2. lim x  a
xa

3. lim k . f ( x)  k . lim f ( x)
xa xa

4. lim  f ( x)  g ( x)  lim f ( x)  lim g x 

xa xa xa

5. lim  f ( x)  g ( x)  lim f ( x)  lim g x 

xa xa xa

f ( x) lim f ( x)
6. lim  xa , for lim g ( x)  0
xa g ( x) lim g ( x) xa


xa


7. lim  f ( x)  lim f ( x) , for n is integer and
xa
n
xa
n lim f ( x)  R
x a
n

8. lim n f ( x)  n lim f ( x) , for n is real number, n

xa xa
 2 and n lim f ( x)  R.
xa
 D Limits of Trigonometric Functions
1. The Form of lim f ( x)  f (a)
xa

This kind of limit can be analogized to the limit of algebraic function.

Example

Determine lim sin 2x.


x
4
Answers :

 
lim sin 2x = sin 2   = sin =1

x 4 2
4
 f ( x)
2. The Form of lim , where f (a)  0 and g (a)  0
x0 g ( x)`
Observe the solution of this limit by consider the following example.
Example
Determine the value of :

sin 2 x cos 2 x  1
a. lim b. lim
 cos x` x  sin x`
x
2

Answer
a. sin 2 x 2 sin x cos x 
lim  lim  lim 2 sin x  2 sin  2.1  2
 cos x`  cos x`  2
x x x
2 2 2

b. lim cos 2 x  1 (1  2 sin 2

x )  1  2 sin 2
x
 lim  lim
x  sin x` x  sin x` x  sin x`
 lim  2 sin x   2 sin   2.0  0
x
 sin x tan x
3. The Form of lim or lim
x 0
x 0 x x
sin x tan x
If a trigonometric function can be converted to lim or lim
x 0 x x 0 x
, then the formula of unit of a trigonometric function that to be used is as
Follows :

sin x x
a. lim  lim 1 b. lim tan x  lim x  1
x 0 x x 0 sin x x 0 x 0 tan x
x

Note
In general
sin ax a tan ax a tan ax a
lim  , lim  , lim 
x 0 bx b x 0 bx b x 0 sin bx b