MODULE

THEOREMS ON LIMITS OF
1
FUNCTIONS

If 𝑚 and 𝑏 are any constants,

LIMIT THEOREM 1
lim (𝑚𝑥 + 𝑏) = 𝑚𝑎 + 𝑏
𝑥→𝑎

➢ Illustration: From Limit Theorem 1, it follows that

lim (3𝑥 + 5) = 3 ∙ 2 + 5
𝑥→2
= 11

If 𝑐 is constant, then for any number 𝑎,

LIMIT THEOREM 2
lim 𝑐 = 𝑐
𝑥→𝑎

LIMIT THEOREM 3 lim 𝑥 = 𝑎

𝑥→𝑎

➢ Illustration: From Limit Theorem 2,

lim 7 = 7
𝑥→5

and from Limit Theorem 3,

lim 𝑥 = −6
𝑥→−6

If lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿 and lim 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑀, then

𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
LIMIT THEOREM 4
lim [𝑓(𝑥) ± 𝑔(𝑥)] = 𝐿 ± 𝑀
𝑥→𝑎

If lim 𝑓1 (𝑥) = 𝐿1 , lim 𝑓2 (𝑥) = 𝐿2 , . .. , 𝑎𝑛𝑑 lim 𝑓𝑛 (𝑥) = 𝐿𝑛 , then

𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
LIMIT THEOREM 5
lim [𝑓1 (𝑥) ± 𝑓2 (𝑥)±. . . ±𝑓𝑛 (𝑥)] = 𝐿1 ± 𝐿2 +. . . +𝐿𝑛
𝑥→𝑎

If lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿 and lim 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑀, then

𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
LIMIT THEOREM 6
lim [𝑓(𝑥) ∙ 𝑔(𝑥)] = 𝐿 ∙ 𝑀
𝑥→𝑎

➢ Illustration: From Limit Theorem 3, lim 𝑥 = 3, and from Limit Theorem 1,

𝑥→3

lim (2𝑥 + 1) = 7. Thus from Limit Theorem 6,

𝑥→3

lim [𝑥(2𝑥 + 1)] = lim 𝑥 ∙ lim (2𝑥 + 1)

𝑥→3 𝑥→3 𝑥→3

=3∙7
= 21
Limit Theorem 6 also can be extended to any finite number of functions by applying
mathematical induction.

If lim 𝑓1 (𝑥) = 𝐿1 , lim 𝑓2 (𝑥) = 𝐿2 , . .. , 𝑎𝑛𝑑 lim 𝑓𝑛 (𝑥) = 𝐿𝑛 , then

𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
LIMIT THEOREM 7
lim [𝑓1 (𝑥) ∙ 𝑓2 (𝑥) ∙ . .. ∙ 𝑓𝑛 (𝑥)] = 𝐿1 𝐿2 . . . 𝐿𝑛
𝑥→𝑎

SIARGAO ISLAND INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Dapa, Surigao del Norte 1
www.siit.edu.ph
MODULE
THEOREMS ON LIMITS OF
1
FUNCTIONS
If lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿 and 𝑛 is any positive integer, then
𝑥→𝑎
LIMIT THEOREM 8
lim [𝑓(𝑥)]𝑛 = 𝐿𝑛
𝑥→𝑎

➢ Illustration: From Limit Theorem 1, lim (5𝑥 + 7) = −3. Therefore, from Limit Theorem
𝑥→−2
8, it follows that
4
lim (5𝑥 + 7)4 = [ lim (5𝑥 + 7)]
𝑥→−2 𝑥→−2

= (−3)4
= 81
If lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿 and lim 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑀, then
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
LIMIT THEOREM 9
𝑓(𝑥) 𝐿
lim = , 𝑖𝑓 𝑀 ≠ 0
x→a 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑀

➢ Illustration: From Limit Theorem 3, lim 𝑥 = 4, and from Limit Theorem 1,

𝑥→4
lim (−7𝑥 + 1) = −27. Therefore, from Limit Theorem 9,
𝑥→4
𝑥 lim 𝑥
𝑥→4
lim =
𝑥→4 −7𝑥 + 1 lim (−7𝑥 + 1)
𝑥→4
4
=
−27
4
=−
27
If 𝑛 is a positive integer and lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿, then
𝑥→𝑎

𝑛 𝑛
LIMIT THEOREM 10 lim √𝑓(𝑥) = √𝐿
𝑥→𝑎

with the restriction that if 𝑛 is even, 𝐿 > 0.

➢ Illustration: From the previous illustration, and Limit Theorem 10, it follows that

3 𝑥 3 𝑥
lim √ = √lim
𝑥→4 −7𝑥 + 1 𝑥→4 −7𝑥 + 1

3 4
= √−
27
3
√4
=−
3

SIARGAO ISLAND INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Dapa, Surigao del Norte 2
www.siit.edu.ph
MODULE
THEOREMS ON LIMITS OF
1
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 1: Find lim (𝑥 2 + 7𝑥 − 5).
𝑥→3

Solution:
lim (𝑥 2 + 7𝑥 − 5) = lim 𝑥 2 + lim 7𝑥 − lim 5
𝑥→3 𝑥→3 𝑥→3 𝑥→3

= lim 𝑥 ∙ lim 𝑥 + lim 7 ∙ lim 𝑥 − lim 5

𝑥→3 𝑥→3 𝑥→3 𝑥→3 𝑥→3

= 3∙3+7∙3−5

= 9 + 21 − 5
= 25

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EXAMPLE 2: Find

𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 + 3
lim √
𝑥→2 𝑥2 + 5

Solution:

𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 + 3 𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 + 3
lim √ = √ lim
𝑥→2 𝑥2 + 5 𝑥→2 𝑥2 + 5

lim (𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 + 3)
𝑥→2
=√
lim (𝑥 2 + 5)
𝑥→2

lim 𝑥 3 + lim 2𝑥 + lim 3

𝑥→2 𝑥→2 𝑥→2
=√
lim 𝑥2 + lim 5
𝑥→2 𝑥→2

3
(lim 𝑥) + lim 2 ∙ lim 𝑥 + lim 3
= √ 𝑥→2 𝑥→2
2
𝑥→2 𝑥→2

(lim 𝑥) + lim 5
𝑥→2 𝑥→2

23 + 2 ∙ 2 + 3
=√
22 + 5

8+4+3
=√
9

√15
=
3
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SIARGAO ISLAND INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Dapa, Surigao del Norte 3
www.siit.edu.ph
MODULE
THEOREMS ON LIMITS OF
1
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 3: Given

𝑥 2 − 25
𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥−5
Use Limit Theorems to compute lim 𝑓(𝑥).
𝑥→5

Solution:
Here we have a situation different than in the preceding examples. Limit Theorem 9 cannot be applied
𝑥 2−25
to the quotient because lim (𝑥 − 5) = 0. However, factoring the numerator we obtain
𝑥−5 𝑥→5

𝑥 2 − 25 (𝑥 + 5)(𝑥 − 5)
=
𝑥−5 (𝑥 − 5)

If 𝑥 ≠ 5, the numerator and denominator can be divided by 𝑥 − 5 to obtain 𝑥 + 5. Remember that

when computing the limit of a function as 𝑥 approaches 5, we are considering values of 𝑥 close to 5
but not equal to 5. Therefore, it is possible to divide the numerator and denominator by 𝑥 − 5. The
solution takes the following form:
𝑥 2 − 25 (𝑥 + 5)(𝑥 − 5)
lim = lim
𝑥→5 𝑥 − 5 𝑥→5 (𝑥 − 5)

= lim (𝑥 + 5)
𝑥→5

= 10
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EXAMPLE 4: Given

√𝑥 − 2
𝑔(𝑥) =
𝑥−4
Find lim 𝑔(𝑥).
𝑥→4

Solution:

√𝑥−2
As in Example 3, Limit Theorem 9 cannot be applied to the quotient because lim (𝑥 − 4) = 0.
𝑥−4 𝑥→4
To simplify the quotient, we rationalize the numerator by multiplying the numerator and
denominator by √𝑥 + 2.

√𝑥 − 2 (√𝑥 − 2)(√𝑥 + 2)
=
𝑥−4 (𝑥 − 4)(√𝑥 + 2)
𝑥−4
=
(𝑥 − 4)(√𝑥 + 2)

Because we are evaluating the limit as 𝑥 approaches 4, we are considering values of 𝑥 close to 4 but
not equal to 4. Therefore,

√𝑥 − 2 1
= 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 ≠ 4
𝑥−4 √𝑥 + 2
The solution is as follows:

√𝑥 − 2 (√𝑥 − 2)(√𝑥 + 2)
lim = lim
𝑥→4 𝑥−4 𝑥→4 (𝑥 − 4)(√𝑥 + 2)

SIARGAO ISLAND INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Dapa, Surigao del Norte
www.siit.edu.ph
MODULE
THEOREMS ON LIMITS OF
1
FUNCTIONS
𝑥−4
= lim
𝑥→4 (𝑥 − 4)(√𝑥 + 2)
1
= lim
𝑥→4 √𝑥 +2
lim 1
𝑥→4
=
lim (√𝑥 + 2)
𝑥→4

1
=
lim √𝑥 + lim 2
𝑥→4 𝑥→4

1
=
lim 𝑥 + 2
√𝑥→4

1
=
√4 + 2
1
=
4

SIARGAO ISLAND INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Dapa, Surigao del Norte
www.siit.edu.ph