Limits at Infinity

Mathematics 100

Institute of Mathematics

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Outline

1 Limits at Infinity

2 Lecture Exercises

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Limits at Infinity

2x2
Consider f (x) = .
+1 x2
We take a look at what happens to f as x increases or decreases without
bound:

x f (x) x f (x)
0 0 0 0
1 1 −1 1
2 1.6 −2 1.6
3 1.8 −3 1.8
4 1.882353 −4 1.882353
5 1.923077 −5 1.923077
10 1.980198 −10 1.980198
100 1.9998 −100 1.9998
1000 1.999998 −1000 1.999998

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Limits at Infinity
The graph of f is shown below:

−7 −6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

−1

−2

2x2
Graph of f (x) =
x2+1

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Limits at Infinity

As x gets larger, we saw from the graph (and from the table) that the function
values get closer and closer to 2.
For the function f , we can say that

2x2
lim = 2.
x→+∞ x2 + 1

Similarly, we can verify by looking at the graph of f and the table that

2x2
lim = 2.
x→−∞ x2 +1
When an independent variable x increases (decreases) without bound, we
write “x → +∞” (“x → −∞”).

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Limits at Infinity

Theorem
If r is any positive integer, then
1
(i) lim r = 0
x→+∞ x
1
(ii) lim =0
x→−∞ xr

To evaluate the limit at infinity of a given function f (x), we first divide both the
numerator and denominator by xn where n is the highest power of x that
occurs in the denominator.

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Limits at Infinity

Example
4x − 3
Evaluate lim .
x→+∞ 2x + 5

Solution:
The highest power of x in the denominator is 1, so we divide both the
numerator and the denominator by x.  
4x − 3 3 3
4− lim 4−
4x − 3 x x = x→+∞  x
lim = lim = lim
x→+∞ 2x + 5 5

x→+∞ 2x + 5 x→+∞ 5
2+ lim 2+
x x x→+∞ x
1
lim 4 − lim 3 · lim 4−3·0 4
x→+∞ x→+∞ x→+∞ x
= = = = 2.
1 2+5·0 2
lim 2 + lim 5 · lim
x→+∞ x→+∞ x→+∞ x

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Limits at Infinity

Example
2x3 − x + 5
Evaluate lim .
x→−∞ 4x3 − 1

Solution:
We divide both the numerator and denominator by x3 .
2x3 − x + 5 1 5
3
2x − x + 5 3
2− 2 + 3
lim = lim x = lim x x
x→−∞ 4x3 − 1 x→−∞ 4x3 − 1 x→−∞ 1
4− 3
x3 x
1 1
lim 2 − lim + 5 lim
x→−∞ x→−∞ x2 x→−∞ x3
=
1
lim 4 − lim
x→−∞ x→−∞ x3
2−0+5·0 2 1
= = = .
4−0 4 2

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Limits at Infinity

Example
x
Evaluate lim √ .
x→+∞ x2 +1

Solution:
Note: The highest power of x in the denominator is 2, but it appears
√ under a
radical symbol. So we divide the numerator and denominator by x2 = |x|.
x x
√ lim
x 2 x→+∞ |x|
lim √ = lim √ x = r
x→+∞ x2 + 1 x→+∞ x2 + 1 x2 + 1
√ lim
x2 x→+∞ x2
x
lim 1
x→+∞ x
= r =√ = 1.
1 1+0
lim 1+ 2
x→+∞ x

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Limits at Infinity

Example
x
Evaluate lim √ .
x→−∞ x2 + 1

Solution: √
Again, we divide the numerator and denominator by x2 = |x|.
x x
√ lim
x 2 x→−∞ |x|
lim √ = lim √ x = r
x→−∞ x2 + 1 x→+∞ x2 + 1 x2 + 1
√ lim
x2 x→−∞ x2
x
lim −1
x→−∞ −x
= r =√ = −1.
1 1 +0
lim 1+ 2
x→−∞ x

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Limits at Infinity

Example
 
1
Evaluate lim 3x + 2 .
x→−∞ x

Solution:
We can evaluate the limit of the terms separately.

lim 3x = −∞.
x→−∞

1
lim = 0.
x→−∞ x2
Thus,  
1
lim 3x + 2 = −∞.
x→−∞ x

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Limits at Infinity

Example
p 
Evaluate lim x2 + 1 − x .
x→+∞

Solution:
p
lim x2 + 1 = +∞ and lim x = +∞;
x→+∞ x→+∞

Hence, p 
lim x2 + 1 − x = +∞ − +∞ = ∞ − ∞.
x→+∞

(An indeterminate form!)

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Limits at Infinity

Solution cont’d.:
Rationalizing the given function:
p  p  √ x2 + 1 + x
lim x2 +1−x = lim x +1−x · √
2
x→+∞ x→+∞ x2 + 1 + x
(x2 + 1) − x2
= lim √
x→+∞ x2 + 1 + x
1
= lim √ = 0.
x→+∞ 2
x +1+x
p
Note: lim x2 + 1 = +∞ and lim x = +∞
x→+∞ x→+∞

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Limits at Infinity

Solution cont’d.:

−4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6
√
Graph of f (x) = x2 + 1 − x

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Lecture Exercises

Evaluate the following limits.

x3 − 6
1. lim .
x→+∞ 4x + 1
p 
2. lim x2 − x + 1 + x .
x→−∞

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