Evaluating Limits of

Trigonometric and Exponential

Functions

Evaluating limits of Trigonometric Function

Example:

lim sin ( x )
1. x→
Π
6
Solution:

lim sin ( x ) sin lim x

x→
Π
6
=
( x→
Π
6
) Move the limit inside the trigonometric
function because sine is continuous.

Π Π
= sin ( ) 6
Evaluate the limit of x by plugging in
6
for

1
=
2
Exact value of sin ( Π6 ).
 2. lim
x →3
cos ( x )

Solution:

lim cos ( x ) = cos lim x Move the limit inside the trigonometric
x →3 ( x →3 ) function because cosine is continuous.

= cos ( 3 )
Evaluate the limit of x by plugging in 3 for x.

= 0. 99862953 Exam value of cos ( x ).

( 3 x ¿)
3. lim sin ¿
x →0 x

Solution:

0
We have an indeterminate form of type or
0
∞ ∕ ∞.
 ( 3 x ¿) 0
lim sin = ¿
x →0 x 0

We apply L’Hospital’s Rule

L’Hospital Theorem:

ⅆ
( 3 x ¿) ⅆx The derivative of sin(3x) is cos ( 3 x ) ⋅ 3.
So, lim sin x ⅆ ¿
x →0
ⅆx The derivative of x is 1.

lim cos ( 3 x ) ⋅3 cos ( 3( 0) ) ⋅3 Evaluate the limit of x by plugging in 0 for x.

x→0 =
1 1
Cos(0)=1

lim cos ( 0 ) ⋅ 3
x→0 1 (3) The final answer is 3.
= =3
1 1

lim 1−cos ( x )
4. x →6.2
0.5

Solution:
lim 1−cos ( x )
x →6.2 1−cos ( 6.2 ) Evaluate the limit of x by plugging in 6.2 for
=
0.5 0.5 x.

Cos(6.2)=
0.99654…

1−0.99654 …
= 0.5
=0.00691… lim 1−cos ( x )
approximate value of x →6.2 .
0.5
Evaluating limits of Exponential Function

1. lim 6x
x →2

Formula: f ( x )=b2

Solution:
lim x
lim 6 x =6 x→2
Move the limit into the exponent.
x →2

= 62 Evaluate the limit of x by plugging in 2 for x.

= 36 Raise 6 to the power of 2.

 = 36 Exact value of 62 .

1 x
2. lim
x →0
()
4
−3

Solution:

1 x 1 x
lim
x →0
()
4
−3=lim
x →0 4
()
−lim 3
x→ 0
Using the Sum of Limits Rule, spilt the limit
as x approaches 0.

1 lim x Move the limit into the exponent.

=
()
4
x→0
−lim 3
x→ 0

Evaluate the limit of x by plugging in 0 for

x.
 1 0
=
()
4
−lim 3
x →0

Evaluate the limit of 3 which is constant as x

1 0
=
4 ()−3 approaches 0.

10 1
= −3
40 Applying Product Rule to .
4

10 Anything raised to 0 the result is 1.

= −3
40

Divide 1 by 1.
 1
= −3
1

Subtract 1 from 3.
= 1−3

= -2 Answer.

lim 43 x −34 x
3. x→0
x

Solution:
0
We have an indeterminate form of type or
0
∞ ∕ ∞.
 lim 43 x −34 x
x→0 0
=
x 0

We apply L’Hospital’s Rule

L’Hospital Theorem:

ⅆ
lim 43 x −34 x
x→0 ⅆx ⅆ u '
So, ( a ) ⋅u ⋅ln a
x ⅆ ⅆx
ⅆx

The derivative of 4 3 x −34 x is 4 3 x ( 3 ) ln 4−3 4 x ( 4 ) ln 3.

lim 43 x ( 3 ) ln 4−3 4 x ( 4 ) ln 3
x→0
1 The derivative of x is 1.

Evaluate the limit of x by plugging in 0 for x.

lim 43 (0 ) ( 3 ) ln 4−34 (0 ) ( 4 ) ln 3
x→0 ( 3 ) ln 4−( 4 ) ln 3
=
1 1

lim 43 x −34 x
x→0
= (3 )∈ 4−( 4 ) ∈3∨−0.2355 … Answer.
x

x
4. lim 7 x 5
x→ 4

Solution:
x 4
5 5
lim 7 x =7 ( 4 ) Evaluate the limit of x by plugging in 4 for x.
x→ 4

=21.22003…
Answer.