LIMITS INVOLVING INFINITY

Limits Involving Infinity

 Limits Involving Infinity

If the values of the function 𝑓(𝑥) approach the number

𝐿 as 𝑥 increases without bound, we write

lim (𝑓𝑥) = 𝐿
𝑥→+∞
similarly, we write

lim (𝑓𝑥) = 𝑀
𝑥→−∞
when the functional values 𝑓 𝑥 approach the
number 𝑀 as 𝑥 decreases without bound.

The lines 𝑦 = 𝐿 and 𝑦 = 𝑀 are the horizontal

asymptotes of the graph of 𝑓(𝑥).
 Limits Involving Infinity

Reciprocal Power Rules

If 𝐴 and 𝑘 are constants with 𝑘 > 0 and 𝑥 𝑘 is

defined for all 𝑥, then
𝐴 𝐴
lim 𝑘 = 0 and lim 𝑘 =0
𝑥→+∞ 𝑥 𝑥→−∞ 𝑥
Limits Involving Infinity

Theorem:

1
(i) lim =0
x→∞ x

1
(ii) lim =0
x→+∞ x

1
(iii) lim x =0
x→−∞
 Limits Involving Infinity

2
𝑥
lim
𝑥→+∞ 2𝑥 2 + 𝑥 + 1

▪ Evaluate the function:

Let 𝑥 = 100, 1 000, 10 000, 100 000
𝑓 𝑥 =
▪ Analytically: Divide each term in 𝑓(𝑥) by the highest
power that appears in the denominator.

𝑥 2 /𝑥 2
lim
𝑥→+∞ 2𝑥 2 /𝑥 2 + 𝑥/𝑥 2 + 1/𝑥 2

1
lim
𝑥→+∞ 1 0 1 0
2+𝑥+ 2
𝑥
1 1
lim = = 0.5
𝑥→+∞ 2 + 0 + 0 2
 𝑥2
𝑓 𝑥 = 2
2𝑥 + 𝑥 + 1
 Rules Involving Infinite Limits

Sum/Difference Involving Infinite Limits

L + ∞=+∞ L - ∞=-∞

Product Involving Infinite Limits

L ∙ +∞ = +∞ L ∙ -∞ = -∞
Example:
4𝑥 2 −5𝑥+5
1. lim
𝑥→+∞ 6𝑥 2 +2𝑥−1

4𝑥2 5𝑥 5
− +
𝑥2 𝑥2 𝑥2
= 6𝑥2 2𝑥 1
+ −
𝑥2 𝑥2 𝑥2

0 0
5 5
4 − + 2
𝑥 𝑥
= 2 0 1 0
6 + − 2
𝑥 𝑥

4 −0+0 2
= =
6+ 0 − 0 3
 −𝑥 3 − 6𝑥 − 2
2. lim
𝑥→ +∞ 2𝑥 − 1
−𝑥3 6𝑥 2
𝑥
− 𝑥 − 𝑥
= 2𝑥 1
𝑥
− 𝑥

2
−𝑥 2 − 6 − 𝑥
= 1
2 −
𝑥

2
− Ꝏ − 6 −0 −Ꝏ
= =
2−0 2

=−Ꝏ The limit does not exist

 4𝑥2 5𝑥 7
4𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 − 7 𝑥3
−
𝑥3
−
𝑥3
3. lim = 2𝑥3
𝑥 → −∞ 2𝑥 3 − 1 −
1
𝑥3 𝑥3
4 5 7
− − 3
𝑥2
= 𝑥 𝑥
1
2 − 3
𝑥
0 0 0
4 5 7
− −
−∞ −∞ 2 −∞ 3
= 1 0
2−
−∞ 3
0 −0 +0
= 2+0

= 0
 SUMMARY: Limits to infinity
1. If the degree of the numerator is less than the denominator’s, limit is
ZERO (0).
𝟑𝒙𝟐 +𝟓𝒙+𝟒
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒙𝟑 +𝟕𝒙 = 𝟎
𝒙→∞

2. If the degree of the numerator is greater than the denominator’s,

limit is +/- ∞ or the limit does not exist(DNE).
𝒙𝟒 +𝒙
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝟓𝒙𝟑 +𝟕 = −∞ or DNE
𝒙 → −∞

3. If the degree of the numerator is the same as the denominator’s, the

limit is equal to the constants in front of the X of the highest degree.
−𝟑𝒙𝟓 +𝟐𝒙𝟐 𝟑
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝟕𝒙𝟓 −𝟔𝒙 = −𝟕
𝒙→∞
 Infinite Limits

If 𝑓(𝑥) increases or decreases without bound as

𝑥 → 𝑐 then we say that lim 𝑓(𝑥) is an infinite
𝑥→𝑐
limit.
(1) lim 𝑓 𝑥 = +∞
𝑥→𝑐
▪ 𝑓(𝑥) increases without bound

(2) lim 𝑓(𝑥) = −∞

𝑥→𝑐
▪ 𝑓(𝑥) decreases without bound
Evaluating One – Sided Limits
Theorem

1
lim+ n = +
x →o x

1 +  if n is even
lim− n = 
x →o x −  if n is odd
After simplifications, and the
fraction is still of the form:
" something"
Then evaluate:
0
lim− f ( x) = +or − 
x →c

lim f ( x ) = +or − 
x →c +

Note: for a limit to exist, one-sided

limits should be equal.
 1
Evaluate: lim
x→ o x

1
lim−
x →o x
= − x -0.1 -0.0001
1/x -10 -10,000

lim+
1 = + x 0.1 0.0001
x →o x 1/x 10 10,000

1
lim = DNE
x→ o x
 1
Evaluate: lim 2
x →o x
1
lim− 2 = + x -0.1 -0.0001

x →o x 1/x2 100 100,000,000

1 = + x 0.1 0.0001
lim+ 2 1/x2 100 100,000,000
x →o x
1
lim 2 = +
x →o x
Evaluate:
1
1. lim
x →o x 3

2.
1
lim 4
x→ o x

1
3. lim 9
x→ o x
Evaluate:

 1 
lim  2 + 2  = 2 + (+) = +
x →0
 x 

V.A. X=0
  1 5
lim + 3  = 1 + DNE = DNE
x →0 x + 1
 x 
V.A. X = -1

X=0
Infinite Limits

Evaluate:
1
lim 2
𝑥→0 𝑥
  x −1 
lim −  = +

x →( −5 )  x + 5 

V.A. x = −5
  x +4
2
lim−   = −
x →1
 x −1 

V.A. x =1
Seat Work
Evaluate:

1.) lim 𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 + 7
𝑥→−∞

2𝑥 2 −3𝑥
2.) lim 6 + 4𝑥 2
𝑥→∞

4𝑥 +1
3.)lim
𝑥→0 𝑥

3𝑥 2 +4
4.) lim 3−4𝑥 2
𝑥→∞

3𝑥 2 + 4
5.) lim 3𝑥 + 10
𝑥→+∞