Politecnico di Torino

Mathematical Analysis I - 2016/2017

Homework 4 - Limits (first part)
Applications of the definitions of limit and continuity

1. Using the definition of limit, verify that:

1
(a) lim (3x − 5) = 1, (b) lim = +∞.
x→2 x→1 (x − 1)2

√
2. Verify that f (x) = x is continuous at x0 for every x0 ≥ 0.
1 1
3. Verify that f (x) = − is continuous at x0 for every x0 6= 0.
x x0
4. Draw the graph and study the discontinuity points of f (x) = [sin x], g(x) = M (x) = sin x − [sin x].

Algebra of limits; limit of rational functions and similar

5. Using the algebra of limits, compute the following limits:

(a) lim (x3 + x), (b) lim x2x ,

x→−∞
x→+∞

1 1
(c) lim , (d) lim ,
x→0 1 + x2 x→±∞ 1 + x2
1 √
lim 5 x + 2−x .


(e) lim , (f )
x→ π
2
± cos x x→+∞

6. Compute the limits of the following functions for x → +∞ and x → −∞:

x2 − 1 x2 − 5x + 6 3x2 − x
(a) f1 (x) = , (b) f2 (x) = , (c) f3 (x) = ,
x3 − 1 x2 − 4x + 4 x5 + 2x2
√
−2x3 + x + 1 3x4 + 9x − 1 x5/3 − 2x 3 x + 1
(d) f4 (x) = , (e) f5 (x) = , (f ) f6 (x) = .
x2 + 3x −x4 + 6x3 + 1 2x5/3 − 1
7. Compute the limits:

x2 − 1 x2 − 5x + 6
(a) lim , (b) lim ,
x→1 x3 − 1 x→2± x2 − 4x + 4

3x2 − x 3x2 − x
(c) lim± , (d) lim
√ ,
x→0 x5 + 2x2 x→ 3
2± x5 − 2x2
√
−2x3 + x + 1 x− x
(e) lim , (f ) lim+ .
x→−3± x2 + 3x x→0 3x3/2 + 2x

8. Find the domain, plot the graph, study the limits at the boundary points of the domain of the functions

2x2 − 5x − 3 x+3
f (x) = , g(x) = .
x2 − 4x + 3 3x2 + x3

1
 9. Compute the following limits:
√ √ √ √
(a) lim ( x + 1 − x), (b) lim ( 3 x + 1 − 3 x),
x→+∞ x→+∞
√ √
1+x− 1−x
p

(c) lim , (d) lim 4 + x2 + x .
x→−∞
x→0 x

Change of variable; applications of the fundamental limits

10. Compute the following limits (change variable):

e3x + 1 3x log x
(a) lim , (b) lim √ , (c) lim p .
x→±∞ e2x + 2 x→−∞ 4 + x2 x→0+ 1 + 2 log2 x

11. Compute the following limits

1 − cos x log(1 + 4x)
(a) lim , (b) lim ,
x→0 x x→0 x
sin x − tan x  1 1 
(c) lim , (d) lim − ,
x→0 x2 x→0 tan x sin x
2x − 1 (f ) lim x(31/x − 1),
(e) lim , x→−∞
x→0 x
√
x−2 x−x
(g) lim
, (h) lim ,
x→2 log x x→1 x−1
2
√
5
√
2x − 3x
(i) lim 1+x− 5
x , (l) lim .
x→+∞ x→0 x

12. Compute the following limits

 
π
1 cos 2x
(a) lim x sin , (b) lim √ ,
x→−∞ x x→1 1− x
 π
(c) limπ x + tan2 x, (d) lim
sin πx
,
x→− 2 + 2 x→1 x−1
√
tan2 x e x+1
−e
(e) lim , (f ) lim ,
x→0 tan(sin x) x→0 x
log(2 − cos x) log(x + cos x)
(g) lim , (h) lim ,
x→0 sin2 x x→0 x
(i) lim x(log(x + 2) − log(x + 1)), cos x + 1
x→+∞ (l) lim .
x→π cos(3x) + 1

Applications of the comparison theorems

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13. Compute the following limits, using comparison theorems:

√ √ cos(3x + 1)
(a) lim ( 2x + 1 + cos x), (b) lim q ,
x→+∞
x→+∞ x + ln2 (x + 3)

lim sinh x x + sin2 x ,

(c) 2x − sin x
x→+∞
(d) lim ,
x→+∞ 3x + cos x
[x]
(e) lim , log(3 + sin x)
x→+∞ x (f ) lim ,
x→+∞ x3
x+1
(g) lim (e − esin x ),
x→−∞ x2 − 5 x2 − 5x
(h) lim (e − 2sin x ),
x→+∞ x + 1
1
(i) lim sin x sin ,
x→0 x (l) lim (8x + x sin2 x).
x→−∞

Continuity
14. Find (if it exists) a value k ∈ R such that the function

2 sin 3x if x ≥ π cosh 4x if x ≤ 0
f (x) = 2x + 4x if x ≥ 1 , g(x) =
n n
, h(x) = .
−x + k if x < 1 x2 − k if x < π 3 + cos kx if x > 0

is continuous on R.
15. Find the domain of the following functions; then say if they admit a continuous prolongation to the point
x0 :

sin(x − 3) sin2 x sin x

f (x) = , x0 = 3; g(x) = , x0 = 2π; h(x) = , x0 = 2π;
x2 − 5x + 6 x − 2π (x − 2π)2
x3 − 8
i(x) = x , x0 = 2.
ln
2