Limits Involving Radical

Functions

CK-12

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Printed: August 30, 2016

www.ck12.org Chapter 1. Limits Involving Radical Functions

C HAPTER
1
Limits Involving Radical
Functions
There are many problems that will involve taking the nth root of a variable expression, so it is natural that there may
sometimes be a need to find the limit of a function involving radical expressions, using square or cube roots, or other
roots. Do you think that finding the limit of a function involving radicals would be any different than finding the
limit of polynomial or rational functions? Can you think of any ways that radicals might present different problems
than polynomials?

Limits with Radical Functions

When evaluating a limit involving a radical function, use direct substitution to see if a limit can be evaluated
whenever possible. If not, other methods to evaluate the limit need to be explored.
√ √
Take the following function f (x) = x − 3. Find limx→9 x − 3.

√ √
lim x − 3 = lim x − lim 3
x→9 x→9 x→9
√ √
lim x − 3 = lim x − lim 3
x→9 x→9 x→9
√
= 9−3
=0

√
Therefore, limx→9 x − 3 = 0, which could have been determined by directly evaluating f (x) at x = 9, i.e., by using
direct substitution.
√
Now, find limx→∞ x − 3.
√
Evaluating f (x) at ever increasing positive values of x shows that f (x) increase without bound. Therefore, limx→∞ x−
3 = ∞.
In both of the above cases, direct substitution could be used to evaluate the limits and there is no need for alternative
methods.

√ √
Take a look at the function g(x) = x2 + 3 . Find lim x2 + 3
7x+5 x→∞ 7x+5 .

First we notice that we should exclude x = − 57 in any evaluation. Using direct substitution to find the limit results
in the indeterminate form ∞ ∞ . To transform the radical expression to a better form, use the fact that the value of x is
going to larger and larger positive values. This allows the following:

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 www.ck12.org

√
q
x2 1 + x32


x2 + 3
lim = lim
x 7 + 5x


x→∞ 7x + 5 x→∞

√
q
x2 1 + x32


2
x +3
lim = lim
x 7 + 5x


x→∞ 7x + 5 x→∞
q
1 + x32


|x|
= lim
x 7 + 5x


x→∞
q
1 + x32


lim
x→∞
=
lim 7 + 5x


x→∞
1
=
7

√
Therefore, limx→∞ x2 + 3 = 1 .
7x+5 7
√
Now, find limx→−∞ x2 + 3 .
7x+5
The solution to evaluating the limit at negative infinity is similar to the above approach except that x is always
negative.

√
q
x2 1 + x32


x2 + 3
lim = lim
x 7 + 5x


x→−∞ 7x + 5 x→−∞
q
1 + x32


|x|
= lim
x 7 + 5x


x→−∞
q
1 + x32


lim
x→−∞
= . . . Note the denominator has a - because x < 0
− lim 7 + 5x


x→−∞
1
=−
7

√
Therefore, limx→−∞ x2 + 3 = − 1 .
7x+5 7
So far, you have been able to find the limit of rational functions
√ using methods shown earlier. However, there are
x−3
times when this is not possible. Take the function h(x) = x−9 . Find limx→9 h(x).
Using direct substitution to find the limit results in the indeterminate form 00 . In order to evaluate the limit, we need
to transform the expression to remove the indeterminate form. This is accomplished by using the relationship for the
difference of squares of real numbers: x2 − y2 = (x + y)(x − y).
We then rewrite and simplify the original function as follows:

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www.ck12.org Chapter 1. Limits Involving Radical Functions

√ √
x−3 x−3
lim = lim √ √ . . . Use the difference of squares factoring to remove the 0 in the denominator.
x→9 x−9 x→9 ( x − 3) ( x + 3)
1
= lim √
x→9 ( x + 3)
1
= √

limx→9 9+3
1
=
6

√
x−3
Hence limx→9 x−9 = 16 .
Now, find the end behavior of the same function, i.e. find limx→∞ h(x).
As x increases to large positive values, the function takes on the indeterminate form ∞
∞ . The transformation above
can also be used to evaluate the limit (Approach 1), as well as the technique used in evaluating rational functions
(Approach 2).

Approach 1 Approach 2
√ √ √  
x−3 x−3 x 1 − √3x
lim = lim √ √ = lim
x 1 − 9x


x→∞ x−9 x→∞ ( x − 3)( x + 3) x→∞
 
3
1 1 1− x
√
= lim √ = lim √ · lim
x x→∞ 1 − 9x


x→∞ ( x + 3) x→∞

1
= √ = 0·1
lim ( x + 3)
x→∞
=0 =0

√
x−3
Hence limx→∞ x−9 = 0.
Finally, find limx→−∞ h(x). The solution to this problem is that limx→−∞ h(x) does not exist because the domain
of h(x) does not include x < 0.

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Examples

Example 1

Earlier, you were asked if the methods for evaluating limits involving polynomials and rational functions can be
used to find the limits of radical functions. Some of the methods do work for radical functions. The use of direct
substitution is a common method. Transforming indeterminate or undefined forms by finding and canceling common
factors in the numerator and denominator, or factoring and simplifying the highest degree powers of variables
represent common approaches.
One of the noteworthy differences between polynomial and radical functions is that the domain √ of polynomials can
include all real values of the independent variable, but the domain of radical functions, e.g., x, is restricted.

Example 2
√
Find limx→0 x + 4−2 .
x
Using direct substitution to find the limit of the function results in the indeterminate form 00 . To transform the radical
expression to a better form, do the following:

√ √ √ 
x+4−2 x+4−2 x+4+2
lim = lim · √ . . . Rationalize the numerator: multiply by
x→0 x x→0 x x+4+2
 
x+4−4
= lim √ the conjugate of the numerator.
x→0 x · x+4+2
 
x
= lim √
x→0 x · x+4+2
1
= lim √
x→0 x+4+2
1
=
4
√
Therefore, limx→0 x +
x
4−2 = 1 .
4

Review

Find each of the following limits if they exist.

√
1. limx→3 √x
2. limx→8 √x − 7
x−2
3. limx→4 x−4
√
4. limx→1 xx−1+ 3−2
√
x
5. limx→0+ p √
p 1 + x−1 
6. limx→∞ x2 − 5x − x
√
6 + 3x2 + 1
7. limx→∞ x 4x 3 +3
√ √
8. limx→0  x + 5 − 5
p x 
9. limx→3 x2 + 4x

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www.ck12.org Chapter 1. Limits Involving Radical Functions

3
10. limx→−1√(x2 + 2x + 10) 2
11. limx→4 xx−4+ 5−3
p 
12. limx→1 2x3 + 3x2 + 7
p3

13. limx→3 2
2x − 10
14. limx→7 √ 5x
x√+ 2
7− x2 + 49
15. limx→0 x

Review (Answers)

To see the Review answers, open this PDF file and look for section 2.6.