THE LIMIT

OF A
FUNCTION
 LIMIT OF A FUNCTION
THE LIMIT, TO BE DENOTED BY L, IS THE UNIQUE
REAL VALUE THAT f(x) WILL APPROACH AS X
APPROACHES C. IN SYMBOLS, WE WRITE THIS
PROCESS AS
lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝐿
𝑥→𝑐
lim 2 + 4𝑥
𝑥→4

LEFT-HAND LIMIT RIGHT-HAND LIMIT

lim− 𝑓 𝑥 lim+ 𝑓 𝑥
= 𝑥→𝑐
𝑥→𝑐
 EXISTENCE OF A LIMIT

THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION f AS x c EXISTS

IF AND ONLY IF lim− 𝑓 𝑥 = lim 𝑓 𝑥 = L
𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐 +

FOR SOME REAL NUMBER L.

BUT IF THE LEFT-HAND LIMIT IS NOT EQUAL
TO THE RIGHT-HAND LIMIT, THEN THE LIMIT
DOES NOT EXIST (DNE).
WAYS TO FIND LIMIT

NUMERICALLY

ALGEBRAICALLY

GRAPHICALLY
EVALUATING LIMITS
NUMERICALLY
 HOW TO FIND THE LIMIT USING A TABLE
OF VALUES?
IN NUMERICAL METHOD, WE NEED TO

1. CONSTRUCT A TABLE OF VALUES CONSISTS OF NUMBERS

THAT ARE VERY CLOSE TO THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
BEING APPROACHED;

2. FIND THE VALUES OF f(x) BY SUBSTITUTION; AND

3. ANALYZE WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FUNCTION f(x) AS THE

VALUES GET CLOSER TO THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
 EXAMPLE
lim 2𝑥 − 1 =5
𝑥→3

x f(x) x f(x)
2.88 3.4
2.9 3.35
2.95 3.11
2.999 3.001
lim− 2𝑥 − 1 = 5 lim+ 2𝑥 − 1 = 5
𝑥→3 𝑥→3
𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 − 1

𝑓(2.88) = 2𝑥 − 1 𝑓(3.4) = 2𝑥 − 1

𝑓(2.9) = 2𝑥 − 1 𝑓(3.35) = 2𝑥 − 1

𝑓(2.95) = 2𝑥 − 1 𝑓(3.11) = 2𝑥 − 1

𝑓(2.999) = 2𝑥 − 1 𝑓(3.001) = 2𝑥 − 1
 EXAMPLE
𝑥−2
lim 2 = 0.25
𝑥→2 𝑥 − 4

x f(x) x f(x)
1.88 2.22
1.9 2.1
1.99 2.01
1.999 2.001
𝑥−2 𝑥−2
lim− 2 = 0.25 lim+ 2 = 0.25
𝑥→2 𝑥 − 4 𝑥→2 𝑥 − 4
 𝑥−2
𝑓(𝑥) = 2
𝑥 −4
𝑥−2 𝑥−2
𝑓(1.88) = 2 𝑓(2.22) = 2
𝑥 −4 𝑥 −4
𝑥−2 𝑥−2
𝑓(1.9) = 2 𝑓(2.1) = 2
𝑥 −4 𝑥 −4
𝑥−2 𝑥−2
𝑓(1.99) = 2 𝑓(2.01) = 2
𝑥 −4 𝑥 −4
𝑥−2 𝑥−2
𝑓(1.999) = 𝑓(2.001) = 2
𝑥2 − 4 𝑥 −4
 EXAMPLE
lim 2 + 4𝑥 = 18
𝑥→4

x f(x) x f(x)
3 5
3.5 4.8
3.8 4.5
3.9 4.1
3.99 4.001
3.999 4.000001
lim− 2 + 4𝑥 = 18 lim+ 2 + 4𝑥 = 18
𝑥→4 𝑥→4
𝑓(𝑥) = 2 + 4𝑥

𝑓(3) = 2 + 4𝑥 𝑓(5) = 2 + 4𝑥
𝑓(3.5) = 2 + 4𝑥 𝑓(4.8) = 2 + 4𝑥
𝑓(3.8) = 2 + 4𝑥 𝑓(4.5) = 2 + 4𝑥
𝑓(3.9) = 2 + 4𝑥 𝑓(4.1) = 2 + 4𝑥
𝑓(3.99) = 2 + 4𝑥 𝑓(4.001) = 2 + 4𝑥
𝑓(3.999) = 2 + 4𝑥 𝑓(4.000001) = 2 + 4𝑥
 EXAMPLE
lim 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟏 if x<2
𝑥→2
𝒙 −𝟒 if x≥2

x f(x) x f(x)
1.88 2.22
1.9 2.1
1.99 2.01
1.999 2.001
lim− 𝑓 𝑥 = 3 lim+ 𝑓 𝑥 = −2
𝑥→2 𝑥→2
THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING!