CALCULUS I

1.2 ACTIVITY 1 – INTUITIVE DEFINITION OF LIMITS OF FUNCTIONS

Name:________________________ID:___________ Date: ____/____/____Grade:____

A. Calculate the following limits, giving always closer and closer values to the given value. Use a
scientific calculator to calculate the values.

1. as
x
(use decimals as much as possible)
0.1
0.01
0.001
0.0001
…
0.00000000001
To what value is approaching f(x) as x approaches from the right to x=0?

2. as
x
( use decimals as much as possible)
10
100
1000
10000
…
10000000000
To what value is approaching f(x) as x approaches to positive infinity?
 3. as
x
( use decimals as much as possible)
0.1
0.01
0.001
0.0001
…
0.00000000001
To what value is approaching f(x) as x approaches from the right to x=0?

4. as
x
( use decimals as much as possible)
-0.1
-0.001
-0.0001
…
-0.0000000001
To what value is approaching f(x) as x approaches from the left to x=0?
 5. as
x
( use decimals as much as possible)
0.1
0.001
0.0001
…
0.00000000001
To what value is approaching f(x) as x approaches from the right to x=0?

6. as
x
( use decimals as much as possible)
10
1000
10000
…
10000000000
To what value is approaching f(x) as x approaches to positive infinity?
7) as

( use decimals as much as possible)

100
1000
10000
100000
…
10000000000
To what value is approaching f(x) as x approaches to positive infinity?

B. Complete the missing numbers in the chart below and estimate the value of the limit. Round your answers
to 4 decimals.

1.

-0.5 -0.1 -0.05 -0.001 0.001 0.05 0.01 0.5

1.7500 2.7100 2.8525 2.9970 3.3100 4.7500

2.

-0.5 -0.1 -0.05 -0.001 0.001 0.05 0.01 0.5

4.6250 5.7050 6.0030 6.1513 6.3050 7.6250

3.

4 4.5 4.95 4.999 5.001 5.05 5.5 6

 1.0000 0.9474 0.9045 0.8955 0.8571 0.8182

4.

4 4.5 4.95 4.99 5.01 5.05 5.5 6

0.5279 0.5132 0.4998 0.4988 0.4881 0.4772

Link: http://www.rootmath.org/calculus/estimating-limits-numerically

C. Estimate the following limits using numerical approximation.

1.

x
1.9 1.99 1.999 2 2.001 2.01 2.1

2.
x
4.9 4.99 4.999 5.001 5.01 5.1

x approaches to 5 from the left x approaches to 5 from the right

3. Decide =
x
1.9 1.99 1.999 2 2.001 2.01 2.1

4. Decide

x
0.9 0.99 0.999 1 1.001 1.01 1.1

D. Explain the meaning of . Is it possible to obtain and ?.

Justify your answer.

E. Explain the meaning of and . Is it possible the existence of

?. Justify your answer.