Limit of a Function

OUTLINE

1. The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

2. The Limit of a Function as x approaches a and the Value of the Function at a

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Limit of a Function

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the lesson, the students are able to:
1. illustrate the limit of a function using a table of values or the graph of the
function
2. distinguish between limit of a function as x approaches a, lim f (x) and the
x→a
value of the function at a, f (a)

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

In this section, we shall introduce the core concept needed in studying calculus: the
limit. We make a distinction between the value of a function at a real number a and
the function’s behavior for the values near a. A function may be undefined at a, but
it can be described by studying the values of f when x is very close to a, but not
equal to a.

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

Consider the function f (x) = 3x + 3 on

the R2 plane.

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

Consider the function f (x) = 3x + 3 on 5

f
the R2 plane. 4
3
2
1

−5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5
−1
−2
−3
−4
−5

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

Consider the
3x 2 − 3
function g (x) = on the R2 plane.
x −1

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

Consider the 8
g
3x 2 − 3 7
function g (x) = on the R2 plane.
x −1 6
5
4
3
2
1

−3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
−1
−2
−3

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

Consider the function h(x) on the R2

plane where


6 1
3x + 3 if x =
h(x) =
1 if x = 1

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

Consider the function h(x) on the R2 8

h
7
plane where
6

2

6 1
3x + 3 if x = 1
h(x) =
1 if x = 1 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
−1

−2

−3

−4

−5

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

For f (x) = 3x + 3, consider the following table of values:

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

For f (x) = 3x + 3, consider the following table of values:

x 0 0.5 0.75 0.9 0.99 0.9999 1.0001 1.01 1.1 1.25 1.5 2
f (x) 3 4.5 5.25 5.7 5.97 5.9997 6.0003 6.03 6.3 6.75 7.5 9

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

For f (x) = 3x + 3, consider the following table of values:

x 0 0.5 0.75 0.9 0.99 0.9999 1.0001 1.01 1.1 1.25 1.5 2
f (x) 3 4.5 5.25 5.7 5.97 5.9997 6.0003 6.03 6.3 6.75 7.5 9

Question: What can you observe as x gets closer to 1?

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

For f (x) = 3x + 3, consider the following table of values:

x 0 0.5 0.75 0.9 0.99 0.9999 1.0001 1.01 1.1 1.25 1.5 2
f (x) 3 4.5 5.25 5.7 5.97 5.9997 6.0003 6.03 6.3 6.75 7.5 9

Question: What can you observe as x gets closer to 1?

Answer: As x becomes very, very close to 1, the value of f(x) becomes very, very
close to 6.

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

Example: Let
 2

 x +1 if x ≤ 1


1 − x2

h(x) = if − 1 < x ≤ 3


 1 + x

2x − 1 if x 3


Using table of values, determine the approaching value of f as x gets closer and
closer to (a) − 1; (b)3

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach
Example:
 2

 x +1 if x ≤ 1


1 − x2

h(x) = if − 1 < x ≤ 3


 1 + x

2x − 1 if x 3


As x gets closer and closer to -1, h(x) is approaching to 2.

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach
Example:
 2

 x +1 if x ≤ 1


1 − x2

h(x) = if − 1 < x ≤ 3


 1 + x

2x − 1 if x 3


As x gets closer and closer to 3, h(x) does not approach a single value.
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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

Limit of a Function

Let f be a function defined on some open interval I containing a, except possibly

at a. We say that the limit of f (x) as x approaches a is L where L ∈ R, denoted

lim f (x) = L,
x→a

if the values of f (x) get closer and closer to L as x assumes values closer and
closer to a but not necessarily reaching a.

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach
Example:
 2

 x +1 if x ≤ 1


1 − x2

h(x) = if − 1 < x ≤ 3


 1 + x

2x − 1 if x 3


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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach
Example:
 2

 x +1 if x ≤ 1


1 − x2

h(x) = if − 1 < x ≤ 3


 1 + x

2x − 1 if x 3


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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach
Remark.

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach
Remark.
I We also say that if lim f (x) = L, we can make f (x) as close as we like to L by
x→a
taking values of x that are sufficiently close to a (but not equal a).

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach
Remark.
I We also say that if lim f (x) = L, we can make f (x) as close as we like to L by
x→a
taking values of x that are sufficiently close to a (but not equal a).
I In finding the limit of f (x) as x approaches to a, we only need to consider the
values of x that are very very close to a but not exactly a. This means that the
limit may exists even if there is no function value for f (x) at x = a.

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach
Remark.
I We also say that if lim f (x) = L, we can make f (x) as close as we like to L by
x→a
taking values of x that are sufficiently close to a (but not equal a).
I In finding the limit of f (x) as x approaches to a, we only need to consider the
values of x that are very very close to a but not exactly a. This means that the
limit may exists even if there is no function value for f (x) at x = a.
I We let x approach a from both sides of a.

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach
Remark.
I We also say that if lim f (x) = L, we can make f (x) as close as we like to L by
x→a
taking values of x that are sufficiently close to a (but not equal a).
I In finding the limit of f (x) as x approaches to a, we only need to consider the
values of x that are very very close to a but not exactly a. This means that the
limit may exists even if there is no function value for f (x) at x = a.
I We let x approach a from both sides of a.
I If f (x) does not approach a real number as x tends to a, then we say that the
limit of f (x) as x approaches a does not exist (DNE), we write
lim f (x)DNE
x→a

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach
Example: Let f (x) = (2x − 3). Investigate lim (2x − 3) by constructing table of
x→−1
values. Determine also f (−1).

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach
Example: Let f (x) = (2x − 3). Investigate lim (2x − 3) by constructing table of
x→−1
values. Determine also f (−1).
Solution:

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach
Example: Consider the function h(x) on the R2 plane where

3x + 3 if x 6= 1
h(x) =
1 if x = 1
Evaluate lim h(x) and h(1).
x→1
8

7
h
6

−5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
−1

−2

−3

−4

−5
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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

Remark.

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

Remark.
I If lim f (x) and f (a) both exist, their values may not be equal. In other words,
x→a
it is possible that lim f (x) 6= f (a).
x→a

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach
Example: Let
 2

 x +1 if x ≤ 1


1 − x2

h(x) = if − 1 < x ≤ 3


 1 + x

2x − 1 if x 3


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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach
Example: Let
 2

 x +1 if x ≤ 1


1 − x2

h(x) = if − 1 < x ≤ 3


 1 + x

2x − 1 if x 3


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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

Remark:
I We do not say that lim f (x) ”equals DNE”, because ”DNE” is not a value.
x→a

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The Limit of a Function: An Intuitive Approach

Remark:
I We do not say that lim f (x) ”equals DNE”, because ”DNE” is not a value.
x→a

I We need to emphasize an important fact. We do not say that lim f (x) equals
x→z
DNE, nor do we write ”‘ lim f (x) = DNE ”’ , because DNE is not a value. DNE
x→a
indicates that the function moves in different directions as its variable
approaches a from the left and from the right. In other cases, the limit fails to
1
exist because it is undefined, such as for lim which leads to division of 1 by 0.
x→0 x

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References

1. Math 53 Module, Institute of Mathematics ,University of the Philippines

2. The Calculus 7th edition Leithold, LouisAddison and Wesley Publishing Co.,
Inc., 1996
3. CHED Basic Calculus

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For next meeting, study

Limit Theorems
One-sided Limits
Limits Involving Infinities The End
Thanks for your attention! =)

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