mums [Now that we have scen how limits aise in various ways, let us focus on she limit concept ist, "The mont basic we of limits sto describe how 2 fonstion behaves asthe independent variable approaches given value. For example et usexaminethe behavior ofthe function foyer etl for x-values closer and closer to 2 I is evident from the graph ad table in Figure 1.1.8 thatthe values of f(x) getcloser and closer t3as values fx are selected closer and closer 12 om either the left or the ight side of 2. We describe this by saying that he “limit of 2x4 Tis 3s. approaches 2 from cher side" and we wate seh o lim ex Fw [os [wo os [1m [1995 [19% [2] 200 [200 | 201 | 20s a5 [30 {foe rs. 20250] 2sroen 20x28 295r01 | foomoot 15:25 sn 3.525m em] 7007 no} Tate Taam a Pigee L1 Seer eutets bedi om Gin) teva fae orn ‘ete cee soe Igor elim Te ine dss Ihe Bear of de bt rt “This les us to the following general idea, LLL unas (ax ewroniat yan) Ifthe values of (4) can be made a close as Wwe like WZ by taking values of «sufficiently close 1a 4 (but not equal 16 2), then we L © Ins hich is wea “the init of f(x) a6 approaches ais" 0“ lx) approaches Las sppmoaches a." The expression in (6) can also he ween as JO)+L as rsa oSOME BASIC LIMITS (Oar strategy for Finding iis algebraically as to pars: ‘+ Fist we wil obin the limits of some simple functions. + Then we will develop a repetite of theorems that will enable us to use the Fits of those simple Functions as building blocks or fining Kimi of more complicated nctions, ‘We star with te following basi results, which are illustrated in Figure 1.2.1 12.1 tvoReM Leta and& be weal numbers wigint Otmrma ant » Example 5 Find lim, (x 47 43). Solution. = lim? — ‘fim, (x? 4x +3) = lim. x? — lim 4x + fim 3 im x2 —4 li i lim? im Jim =F -4(5) +3 | Thelast parc 84> Example 9 Find 6x49 248 3x10 3 ©) timex MM on 2S Solution (a). The numerator and the denominator both have a zero at x = 3, so there is acommon factor of x — 3. Then x= 6x49 Jim > ss Solution (b). ‘The numerator and the denominator both have a zero at x = —4, so there is acommon factor of x — (—4) = x +4. Then Q+8 gg 2044) 2 2 lin peat Weed MES Solution (c). The numerator and the denominator both have a zero at x = 5, so there is common factor of x — 5. Then. . x7 —3x—10 (a —5)(e+2) xt2 dim Tor 425 7 Ga 5a YS 1 LIMITS INVOLVING RADICALS ee ae Example 10. Find lim > Example eral Solution. In Example 2 of Section 1.1 we used numerical evidence to conjecture that this limit is 2. Here we will confirm this algebraically. Since this limit is an indeterminate form of type 0/0, we will need to devise some strategy for making the limit (if it exists) evident. One such strategy is to rationalize the denominator of the function. This yields = DVFFY _ DWF th WE DEED =I vrtl 4D ‘Therefore, = lim (v¥ +) =I LIMITS OF PIECEWISE-DEFINED FUNCTIONS For functions that are defined piecewise, a two-sided limit at a point where the formula changes is best obtained by first finding the one-sided limits at that point, > Example 11 Let Wat), ve? f(z) = 4x? -5, —lex<3 Viv, a3 Find (@) i, fe) () Him fix) (©) im, fe) Solution (a), We will determine the stated two-sided limit by first considering the cor- responding one-sided limits. For each one-sided limit, we must use thet part of the formula that is applicable on the interval over which x varies. For example, as x approaches —2 from the left, the applicable part of the formula is (Oa and as.x approaches ~2 from the right, the applicable part of the formula near —2 is faye -5 Thus, slim. f0)= lin, 5° lim, fee) = lim, (7-5) = (27 from which it follows that lim, f(x) does not exist. 3-30 Find the limits. 3. Jim Ge — +1) 4. tim x? — 3x? + 0x 6x-9 © MS Beas im tS & ie ee 16, im Se ** 12. fi 14 lB w21 LIMITS OF RATIONAL FUNCTIONS AS x — t= One technique for determining the end behavior of a rational function is to divide each term: in the numerator and denominator by the highest power of x that occurs in the denomi- nator, after which the limiting behavior can be determined using results we have already established. Here are some examples. ——_ | 3x +5 » Example 7 Find lim ==. Solution. Divide each term in the numerator and denominator by the highest power of x that occurs in the denominator, namely, x! = x. We obtain Divide cach com by = init of quiet icthe ueticnt ofthe fnits Limit of acum ithe ‘sum ofthe Finite 340_1 ‘Accorstant can be moved througs a THO ~ 2 —_linitsymbot Fermalas 2) and (1.I LIMITS INVOLVING RADICALS > Example 10. Find ' 42 v¥x?42 © tim Soe OLB Sra In both parts it would be helpful to manipulate the function so that the powers of x are transformed to powers of I/x. This can be achieved in both cases by dividing the numerator and denominator by |x| and using the fact that Vx? = |x|. Solution (a). As x-> 4, the values of x under consideration are positive, so we can replace |x| by x where helpful. We obtain 9-40 Find the limits. = 9 tim (1 4 2e —3x5) 10, M. tim Je 12. tim 56 13. 14. tim tote W243 % 6 im Se +7 xe ple $l rte I x 7-65 5-2) 19. lim we Ss 2 ii ort TTS23. 25. 27. 20, 1.6.5 THEOREM @ I > Example 4 Find tan x _ sin 20 (2) tim = (b) fim —— (e) x0 sin Sx Solution (a). tnx _ (= 1 Solution (b). Thetrick is to multiply and divide by 2, which will the same as the argument of the sine function [just as in Theorem 1.6.5(a)]: sin?9 |) sin20 sin 20 ohn Be oh Be Solution (c). lim 038 xs0sinSx17-42 Find the limits. © s 1 ce (TX v7 imco() a ti, sn (5242) 19, 24. 20, Sind sing 29. tim 22 ah Se os ns(2) 15.1 periyrrion A function f is said to be continuous at x = c provided the following conditions are satisfied: 1. flo) is defined. 2. lim f(x) exists. 3. lim f@) = fO.> Example 1 Determine whether the following functions are continuous at x wu4 Fo) = Solution. In each case we must determine whether the limit of the function as x > 2 is the same as the value of the function at x = 2. In all three cases the functions are identical, except at x = 2, and hence all three have the same limit at x = 2, namely, ee lim, fx) = fim, e(x) = im, a(x) = fim, — lim, +2) =4 The function f is undefined at x = 2, and hence is not continuous at x = 2 (Figure 1.5.2a). The function g is defined at x = 2, but its value there is ¢(2) = 3, which is not the same as the limit as x approaches 2; hence, g is also not continuous at x = 2 (Figure 1.5.2). The value of the function ft at x = 2is i(2) = 4, which is the same as the limit as.x approaches 2; hence, A is continuous at x = 2 (Figure 1.5.2c). (Note that the function f could have been written more simply as h(x) = x + 2, but we wrote it in piecewise form toemphasize its relationship to f and g.) <11-22 Find values of x, if any, at which f is not continuous. 7 We f(@) =Sx4—3x47 12. fly = Ye —8 xt2 x42 BIM=s4 uw soy = 5 2+ 6 f= qa 29-30 Find a value of the constant k, if possible, that will make the function continuous everywhere. = 2. (a) ro={, axel ‘kx, xs<2 ©) fa) = eth x>2 woe 30. (a) r= [tne es 9a x ° ro~ {ih x<0 51. Find a nonzero value for the constant f that makes takr <0 f= x 3x42, x=0 coatinuous atx =0. 2s sinx roy ={ T° 77° L =0 continuous at x = 0? Explain,