Today’s topics

(1) Find limits

Lec 4—Chapter 3 (2) More examples on limits

Yijun Lou
(3) Continuous functions
February 4, 2016

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Some important limits

Methods of evaluating limits

(1) Substitution (always try this method first!!!) sin θ

(1) lim θ = 1;
θ→0

sin aθ a
(2) lim bθ = b if b = 0.
(2) Cancelation of factors θ→0

sin(2x−2)
(3) Use the Sandwich principle Example: Find lim x−1 .
x→1

Solution: Let u = x − 1, then

sin(2x − 2) sin 2u
lim = lim = 2.
x→1 x−1 u→0 u

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 Infinite limits

1 1 Definition
Intuitive example: Consider lim x and lim x
x→0− x→0+
1 • If lim− f (x) = lim f (x) = ∞, we write
Solution: Mathematically, we denote lim = −∞,
x→0− x x→a x→a+
1 1
and lim x = +∞ or just lim x = ∞.
x→0+ x→0+ lim f (x) = ∞
x→a

Definition: If the value of f (x) can be made bigger than

any prescribed positive and large number by taking x > • If lim f (x) = lim f (x) = −∞, we write
a and close enough to a, we say that f (x) approaches x→a− x→a+

to infinity as x approaches a from the right and we write lim f (x) = −∞

x→a
lim f (x) = ∞.
x→a+

Remark: We have the similar definitions for the infinite

limits: lim f (x) = −∞ and
x→a+

lim f (x) = ∞ and lim f (x) = −∞.

x→a− x→a−

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A useful table of formulas involving infinity (k is a

constant, m and n are positive integers) 3.1.5 Limits at infinity

∞ + k=∞ (−∞) + k=−∞ Example 3.1.27: It is clear that as x increases without

∞ + ∞=∞ (−∞) − ∞=−∞ ∞ − ∞=indeterminate 1
bound, we write x → ∞, the value of decreases to
k × ∞=∞ k × −∞=−∞ if k > 0 x
0. Therefore, we write
k × ∞=−∞ k × (−∞)=∞ if k < 0
∞ × ∞=∞ ∞ × (−∞)=−∞ (−∞)(−∞)=∞ 1
k
=0 k
=0 ∞
=indeterminate lim = 0.
∞
1
−∞
1
∞ x→∞ x
+ =∞ − =−∞
0√
0 × ∞=indeterminate
√
0
n
∞=∞ n
−∞=−∞ if n is odd Similarly, as x decreases without bound,
1
lim = 0.
For example: x→−∞ x

1 1 1
lim 2
= lim × lim = −∞ × (−∞) = ∞
x→0− x x→0 x
− x→0 x
−

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 Main idea
Limits at infinity for “polynomial" like terms

If r is a positive rational number, and c is any real

number, then Intuitive example: Find lim (3x2 + 2x).
x→−∞
c c
lim = 0 and lim = 0.
x→∞ xr x→−∞ xr
Solution: lim (3x2 + 2x)= lim x2 (3 + x2 )=∞ × 3 =
x→−∞ x→−∞
∞.
We can write
c c
r
= 0 and = 0 (for appropriate r)
∞ (−∞)r

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Polynomials at infinity

Example: Find lim (−2x3 +x2 +4x−3) and lim (−2x3 +

x→∞ x→−∞
Methodology: If P (x) is a polynomial of degree n x2 + 4x − 3)
with a leading coefficient an

P (x) = an xn + an−1 xn−1 + · · · + a1 x + a0 , an = 0, Solution:

then lim (−2x3 + x2 + 4x − 3) = lim (−2x3 ) = −∞

n x→∞ x→∞
lim P (x) = lim an x
x→∞ x→∞ lim (−2x3 + x2 + 4x − 3) = lim (−2x3 ) = ∞
x→−∞ x→−∞
and
lim P (x) = lim an xn .
x→−∞ x→−∞

In other words, for polynomials at infinity, we just need

to account for the leading term with the highest degree.

Proof: Use the limits at infinity: lim 1n = 0 and

x→∞ x
lim 1n = 0 for any positive real number n
x→−∞ x

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 Limits at infinity for “rational" like terms Rational functions at infinity

Methodology: Suppose

P (x) = an xn + an−1 xn−1 + · · · + a1 x + a0 , an = 0

5x3
Intuitive example: Find lim .
x→∞ 1 + 3x − 2x3
and
Solution: Divide both the numerator and denominator
Q(x) = bm xm + bm−1 xm−1 + · · · + b1 x + b0 , bm = 0.
by x3 :

5x3 5 Then
lim
x→∞ 1+3x−2x
3 = lim
x→∞ 13 3 P (x) an xn
x + x2 −2 lim = lim
x→∞ Q(x) x→∞ bm xm
5
= and
0+0−2 P (x) an xn
5 lim = lim .
=− . x→−∞ Q(x) x→−∞ bm xm
2
Proof: divide the numerator and denominator by the
highest-degree term of the denominator

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Example 3.1.30: From the discussion above, it is now 2x + 5

Example 3.1.29: Let f (x) = √ . Find the limit
easy to see that x3 + 1
lim f (x).
x x x→∞
lim = lim 2 = 0
x→±∞ x2 −1 x→±∞ x
Solution:
and
2x 2x 2x + 5 2x
lim = lim = 2. lim √ = lim √
x→±∞ x − 2 x→±∞ x x→∞ x3 + 1 x→∞ x3

Furthermore, 2
= lim √
x→∞ x
4x3 4x3 2
lim = lim =∞ =√
x→∞ x2 + 2 x→∞ x2
∞
and =0
2x3 2x3
lim = lim = −∞
x→−∞ x2 − 1 x→−∞ x2

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 Methods of evaluating limits
More examples on evaluating limits
(1) Substitution (always try this method first!!!)

(2) Cancelation of factors

Additional Example 1:
sin ax a
(3) Use lim bx = b lim [(x2 − 2) cos 3x].
x→0 x→0

(4) Use the Sandwich principle

Idea: Substitution method

(5) Limit at infinity

(6) L’Hôpital’s Rule (will introduce later)

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Additional Example 2: Additional Example 3:

x2 − 25 1 − cos x
lim . lim .
x→5 x3 − 125 x→0 x

sin ax a
Idea: Cancelation of factors Idea: Use lim bx = b
x→0

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 Additional Example 4: Additional Example 5:
2x + 3 
lim √ . lim ( x2 + 5 − x).
x→∞
x→−∞ x2 + 4

Idea: Limit at infinity Idea: Limit at infinity

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