LIMITS: Formal Definition

(MAT060 - Calculus with Analytic Geometry 1)

MARIBETH B. MONTERO, PhD

Mathematics Department
Mindanao State University Main Campus
Marawi City
maribeth.montero@msumain.edu.ph
Formal Definition of Limit

The intention of the informal discussion in the previous section is to give us an

intuitive(unpremiditated) grasp of when a limit does or does not exist. However,
it is neither desirable nor practical to reach into a conclusion on limit existence by
merely basing on such intuition. We must be able to evaluate a limit or discern
its existence in a somewhat technical fashion. The theorems that we shall
consider and discuss in this section establish such a means.
Consider the table of values of the function given in Example 1. In detail, the
variation of f (x) = 12 (3x − 1) when x is close to 4 can be written in the
following conditional statements:

(i) If 3.9 < x < 4.1, then 5.35 < f (x) < 5.65.
(ii) If 3.99 < x < 4.01, then 5.485 < f (x) < 5.515.
(iii) If 3.999 < x < 4.001, then 5.4985 < f (x) < 5.5015.
(iv) If 3.9999 < x < 4.0001, then 5.49985 < f (x) < 5.50015.
(v) If 3.99999 < x < 4.00001, then 5.499985 < f (x) < 5.500015.
If we let the Greek letters  "Epsilon" and δ "Delta" denote small positive real
numbers, then each of the statements: (i) - (v) is of the form
If 4 − δ < x < 4 + δ , then 5.5 −  < f (x) < 5.5 + .
That is, statement (i) is obtained if we take δ = 0.1 and  = 0.15. The values
δ = 0.01 and  = 0.015 yield statement (ii); and δ = 0.001 with  = 0.0015
gives statement (iii); and so on.
In interval form, we say:
If x is in the open interval (4 − δ, 4 + δ),
then f (x) is in the open interval (5.5 − , 5.5 + ).
Or equivalently,
If |x − 4| < δ , then |f (x) − 5.5| < .

Since  and δ are positive real numbers, the statements above can be written as
If 0 < |x − 4| < δ , then 0 < |f (x) − 5.5| < .
Denition
Let f be a function which is dened for all x on the open interval I containing a,
except posssibly at a itself. The limit of f (x) as x approaches to a is L, written
lim f (x) = L
x→a
if for every  > 0, however small, there exists a δ > 0 such that
|f (x) − L| <  whenever 0 < |x − a| < δ .
The following examples will illustrate how to show that lim f (x) = L using the
x→a
formal denition of limit.
 1 11
Example 1. Prove that lim (3x − 1) = .
x→4 2 2

Proof: Let f (x) = 12 (3x − 1), a = 4, and L = 11

2.
By denition, we must show that for every  > 0,
there exists a number δ > 0 such that if 0 < |x − 4| < δ , then
1 11
 
 (3x − 1) −  < .

2 2
A
 1 clue to the choice
 of δ can be found by examining the inequality
 (3x − 1) − 11  < , which involves .
2 2
Now, let  > 0. Observe that
1 11
 (3x − 1) −  <  ⇔ 1 |(3x − 1) − 11| < 
 

2 2 2
⇔ |3x − 12| < 2
⇔ 3 |x − 4| < 2
2
⇔ |x − 4| < .
3
The nal inequality gives us the needed clue.
If we take δ = 32 , then for  > 0 there exist a δ > 0 such that |x − 4| < δ and
 1
 (3x − 1) −  = 1 |(3x − 1) − 11|
11
 

2 2 2
1
= |3x − 12|
2
3
= |x − 4|
2
3
< δ
2  
3 2

= 
2 3
= .

Therefore, lim 21 (3x − 1) = 11

2. 
x→4
Example 2. Prove that the lim (5x − 3) = 2.
x→1
Proof:

Let  > 0.
We want show that there exists a δ > 0 such that

|(5x − 3) − 2| <  whenever 0 < |x − 1| < δ.

Now, |(5x − 3) − 2| = |5x − 5| = 5|x − 1|.

Hence, we will show that

5|x − 1| <  ⇐⇒ |x − 1| <
5
whenever 0 < |x − 1| < δ .
Choose δ = 5 . Then, for  > 0 there exists δ > 0 such that if 0 < |x − 1| < δ ,
we have

|(5x − 3) − 2| = 5|x − 1| < 5δ = 5 = .
5
Thus,
|(5x − 3) − 2| <  whenever 0 < |x − 1| < δ.
Thus, by denition, lim (5x − 3) = 2. 
x→1
Exercise

Prove each of the following limits.

1. lim (5x + 7) = 17
x→2
2. lim (10 − 2x) = 16
x→−3
x 
3. lim − 2 = − 53
x→1 3
4. lim x = π
x→π
5. lim 7 = 7
x→5
 ASSESSMENT TEST

NAME: SIGNATURE:

SECTION: DATE:

SCORE:

Show that each of the following limits is true:

1. lim (2x + 1) = 1
t→0
2. lim (3 − 4x) = −1
x→1
t3 + 8
3. lim = 12
t→−2 t + 2
 1
 
Example 1.10 Show that lim does not exist.
x→0 x

1
 
Proof: Suppose that lim exists. Then for some number L,
x→0 x

1
 
lim = L.
x→0 x

Thus, for each  > 0, it is possible to nd an interval (0 − δ, 0 + δ) containing 0

such that whenever 0 < |x − 0| < δ ,
1
 

|f (x) − L| =  − L < .
x
Now,
  1  x−1 
!  !
1   1 − xL  
  
x− 
L  L 
|f (x) − L| =  − L =   = (−L)  = L .

x x   x   x 

Note that for x 6= 0, L1 6= 0, which is a contradiction. 

Hence, we can not nd a δ such that for every 0,  1 − L <  whenever

 > x
1
 
0 < |x − 0| < δ . Therefore, lim does not exist. 
x→0 x