Limit

Limit of a Function :

Suppose y = f(x) is a function. Informally, a limit of f is a y-value L that f(x) approaches as x

approaches some specified number a. We use the following notation for limits:

➢ Let’s take a look at the graph below. What is going on near x = 3?

Estimating a Limit
One way to estimate a limiting value is to build a table of values. Choose x-values that are closer
and closer to x = a, and look for a trend in the corresponding y-values.

For example, let’s estimate , using a table of values.

First of all, note that if you plug in x = 3, you get: (32 – 3(3))/(32 – 9) = (9 – 9)/(9 – 9) = 0/0. We
all know you can’t divide by 0. So does that mean the limit doesn’t exist?

No, the limit might still exist! In fact, a limit problem is not really asking for the actual value of f
at x = a. Instead, it’s about what happens near x = a.

So since we can’t plug in 3 directly, we should examine the output of the function for x-values
near 3. For example, try plugging in 2. But there are infinitely many numbers that are even
closer, including 2.9, 2.99, 2.999, so let’s check those out too.
 x f(x) = (x2 - 3x)/(x2 - 9)
2 0.4
2.9 0.491525
2.99 0.499165
2.999 0.499917
3 Can't plug in

The corresponding y-values seem to be heading towards 0.5.

A number close to 3 on the right would be 4. But that might not give the most accurate estimate,
so try 3.1, 3.01, 3.001, approaching 3 from the right. It is important to sample many values both
to the left and right of your a-value so that you can build evidence to support your estimate for
the limit.

x f(x) = (x2 - 3x)/(x2 - 9)

4 0.571429
3.1 0.508197
3.01 0.500832
3.001 0.500083
3 Can't plug in

Even though you can’t plug in 3, the trend in the function values seems to be point towards a
limiting value of 0.5.
Evaluate:
𝑥 2 −1
1) lim
𝑥→1 𝑥−1

Solution:
𝑥 2 −1
L.H.L = lim−
𝑥→1 𝑥−1
(𝑥−1)(𝑥+1)
= lim−
𝑥→1 𝑥−1
= lim−(𝑥 + 1)
𝑥→1

=lim 1 − ℎ + 1
ℎ→𝑜

=2
𝑥 2 −1
R.H.L = lim+
𝑥→1 𝑥−1
(𝑥−1)(𝑥+1)
= lim+
𝑥→1 𝑥−1
= lim+(𝑥 + 1)
𝑥→1

=lim 1 + ℎ + 1
ℎ→𝑜

=2
𝑥 2 −1
Since L.H.L=R.H.L , ∴ lim =2
𝑥→1 𝑥−1

𝑥 2 −4
Evaluate: lim
𝑥→2 𝑥−2
1 1
𝑥 + 2, 𝑥 > 2
1
➢ Evaluate : 𝑓(𝑥) = 0, 𝑥=2 Find lim1 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→2
1
2𝑥, 𝑥 < 2
{
Solution:
L.H.L= lim
1−
2𝑥
𝑥→2

=lim 2(12 − ℎ)
ℎ→0
=1
R.H.L= lim+(𝑥 + 12)
𝑥→12

=lim (12 + ℎ) + 12
ℎ→0
=1

Since L.H.L=R.H.L , ∴ lim

1
𝑓(𝑥) = 1
𝑥→2