Chapter 1

Limits
Answers

Example: Evaluate the following limits:

A.
4 5 2
1. lim (6 x −3 x + 4 x −5)
x →1

lim (6 x 4 −3 x 5 + 4 x 2−5)=6(1)4 −3(1)5+ 4 (1)2−5

x →1
=6(1)−3 (1)+ 4(1)−5
=6−3+4−5
lim (6 x 4 −3 x 5 + 4 x 2−5)=2
x →1

4 x 3−3 x2 +2 x+ 7
2. lim
x →2 x 4 +5 x 2−2
3 2
4 x 3−3 x2 +2 x+ 7 4 (2) −3 ( 2 ) +2( 2)+7
lim 4 2 = 4 2
x →2 x +5 x −2 (2) + 5(2) −2
4 (8)−3(4)+2(2)+7
=
16 +5( 4)−2
32−12+4 +7
=
16 +20−2
4 x 3−3 x2 +2 x+ 7 31
lim =
x →2 x 4 +5 x 2−2 34
B.
2 x 2 +9 x−18
1. lim
x→−6 x+ 6
2
2 x +9 x−18 (2 x−3)( x+ 6)
lim = lim
x→−6 x+ 6 x→−6 x +6
(2 x−3)( x+ 6)
= lim
x→−6 x +6
= lim (2 x−3)
x→−6
=2 (−6 )−3
=−12−3
2
2 x +9 x−18
lim =−15
x→−6 x+ 6

x 3−8
2. lim
x →2 x−2

x 3−8 (x−2)(x 2 +2 x+ 4)
lim =lim
x →2 x−2 x →2 x −2
2
=lim x +2 x+ 4
x →2
=¿
=4 + 4+ 4
x 3−8
lim =12
x →2 x−2

LIMITS Page 1
 x3 −x 2−x−2
3. lim 3 2
x →2 2 x −5 x +5 x−6

x3 −x 2−x−2 ( x−2)( x 2+ x +1)

lim 3 2 = lim 2
x →2 2 x −5 x +5 x−6 x →2 (x−2)( x −x +3)

(x 2+ x +1)
=lim 2
x →2 (2 x −x +3)

(2 ¿¿¿ 2+2+1)
=
2(2¿ ¿¿ 2−2+3)
4+ 2+ 1
=
8−2+3
3 2
x −x −x−2 7
lim =
x →2 2 x −5 x +5 x−6 9
3 2

x−2
4. lim
x →2 √ x 2−4
x−2 ( x−2 ) ( √ x 2+ 4 )
lim =lim
x →2 √ x 2−4 x →2 ( √ x 2−4 )( √ x 2 +4 )
( x −2)( √ x 2−4 )
=lim
x →2 ( √ x 2−4)( √ x 2−4 )
(x−2)( √ x 2−4)
=lim
x →2 x 2−4
(x−2)( √ x 2−4)
=lim
x →2 ( x−2)( x +2)

( √ x 2−4)
=lim
x →2 (x+2)

(2)2−4
=√
2+2
√ 4−4
=
4
0
=
4
x−2
lim =0
x →2 √ x 2−4

5. lim
√ k + y−√ k
y →0 y
k + y−√ k ( √ k + y− √ k )( √k + y+ √ k)
lim √ = lim
y →0 y y →0 y ( √k + y+ √ k)
(k + y−k )
= lim
y →0 y ( √ k + y+ √ k)

LIMITS Page 2
 y
= lim
y →0 y ( √ k + y +√ k )

1
= lim
y →0 √ k + y+ √ k
1
=
√ k +0+ √ k
1
=
√ k +√ k
1
=
2√ k
k + y−√ k √ k
lim √ =
y →0 y 2k

C.
3 x 6 −15 x 4 + 12 x 2−3 x+ 1
1. lim
x→ ∞ 5 x 7−x 6 +4 x3 +2 x 2−11
3 x 6 15 x 4 12 x 2 3 x 1
− 7 + 7 − 7+ 7
3 x 6 −15 x 4 + 12 x 2−3 x+ 1 x7 x x x x
lim 7 6 3 2 = lim 7 6 3 2
x→ ∞ 5 x −x +4 x +2 x −11 x→ ∞ 5 x x 4 x 2 x 11
− + + 7− 7
x7 x 7 x 7 x x
3 x 6 15 x 4 12 x 2 3 x 1
− 7 + 7 − 7+ 7
x7 x x x x
= lim 7 6 3 2
x→ ∞ 5x x 4 x 2 x 11
7
− 7+ 7 + 7 − 7
x x x x x

LIMITS Page 3
 3 15 12 3 1
− + − +
x x3 x5 x6 x7
= lim
x→ ∞ 5 1 4 2 11
− + 4 + 6− 7
1 x x x x
3 15 12 3 1
− + − +
∞ ∞3 ∞5 ∞6 ∞7
=
1 4 2 11
5− + 4 + 6 − 7
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
0−0+0−0+0
=
5−0+ 0+0−0
0
=
5
6 4 2
3 x −15 x + 12 x −3 x+ 1
lim 7 6 3 2 =0
x→ ∞ 5 x −x +4 x +2 x −11

6 x 9−14 x 6 +8 x 5−5 x 4 +7 x2
2. lim
x→ ∞ 12 x 9−17 x 7 +12 x6 + 4 x 3−2
6 x 9 14 x6 8 x 5 5 x 4 7 x 2
9 6 5 4 2 9
− 9 + 9 − 9 + 9
6 x −14 x +8 x −5 x +7 x x x x x x
lim 9 7 6 3 = lim 9 7 6 3
x→ ∞ 12 x −17 x +12 x + 4 x −2 x→ ∞ 12 x 17 x 12 x 4 x 2
9
− 9 + 9 + 9 − 9
x x x x x
6 14 8 5 7
− + − +
1 x3 x4 x5 x7
= lim
x→ ∞ 12 17 12 4 2
− + + −
1 x2 x3 x6 x9
14 8 5 7
6− 3 + 4 − 5 + 7
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
=
17 12 4 2
12− 2 + 3 + 6 − 9
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
6−0+ 0−0+ 0
=
12−0+0+ 0−0
6
=
12
9 6 5 4 2
6 x −14 x +8 x −5 x +7 x 1
lim =
x→ ∞ 12 x −17 x +12 x + 4 x −2 2
9 7 6 3

LIMITS Page 4