TALectureNotes W2

Week 2 - The Precise Definition of a Limit
Shi, Bo-An 施柏安
Class#07 Calculus 1 TA, NTU (Ver.1)
September 13, 2023
Shi, Bo-An (Calculus 07) The Precise Definition of a Limit Fall, 2023 1 / 16
Table of Contents
1 The Precise Definition of a Limit
2 Infinite Limits
3 Advanced Topics and Conclusion
The Precise Definition of a Limit
2 Infinite Limits
The Intuition of a Limit
We have learned the intuition of a limit:
lim f (x) = L
x→a
says that we can make the values of f (x) arbitrarily close to L by

restricting x to be suﬀiciently close to a but not equal to a.
However, the intuition is okay only for some “cute” functions. For some
weird functions, the intuition may fail.
For example, given f : R → R,
{
1 if x = n1 for some n ∈ N
f (x) =
x otherwise
does lim f (x) exist?

x→0
From Intuition to Precise Definition
The intuition can be described as a game:
I claim that lim x2 = 4.

x→2
OK, could you let f (x) close to 4
with error less than 0.1?
Yes! If 1.98 < x < 2.02,
then 3.9204 < x2 < 4.0804.
Now please let f (x) close to 4
with error less than 0.01.
Hmm... 1.998 < x < 2.002,
then 3.992004 < x2 < 4.008004.
I’m tired from asking more questions, so let me
just ask you the last question. For every error ε > 0,
can you find an open interval such that |f (x) − 4| < ϵ?
Definition (The Precise Definition of an Limit)

Let f be a function defined on some open interval that contains the
number a, except possibly at a itself. Then we write
lim f (x) = L
x→a
if for every number ε > 0, there is a δ > 0 (depending on ε) such that
if 0 < |x − a| < δ then |f (x) − L| < ε
The precise definition of a limit conforms to our intuition. No matter how

close we require f (x) to approach to L (|f (x) − L| < ε), we can always
restrict x within the δ-neighborhood of a (0 < |x − a| < δ) to meet the
requirement.
https://www.desmos.com/calculator/m2wajnfmyg?lang=zh-CN
Exercise
1 Exercise 1
2 lim x2 = 4
x→2
Solution
Write down the statement:
For every number ε > 0, there is a δ > 0 (depending on ε) such that
if 0 < |x − 2| < δ then |x2 − 4| < ε.
Find out δ as a function of ε:
|x − 2||x + 2| < ε ⇒ |x − 2| < |x+2|ε ε
. We can not directly let δ = |x+2|
since δ should not depend on x.
Instead, we always choose δ ≤ 1 for all ε given (or other reasonable
constants). For δ ≤ 1, 3 < |x + 2| < 5 is bounded, then
|x − 2||x + 2| < δ · 5. To satisfy |x2 − 4| < ε, we must choose δ ≤ 5ϵ .
Consider the two constraints of δ, we let δ = min{1, 5ε }.
Infinite Limits
2 Infinite Limits
Infinite Limits
The Precise Definition of Limit Does Not Exist
Sometimes we want to prove the limit does not exist. In this case, we
need to prove its converse statement:
Definition (Limit Does Not Exist)
The limit of f (x) as x approaches a does not exists if for every L, there is
a number ε > 0 such that for every δ > 0,
there is an x that satisfies 0 < |x − a| < δ and |f (x) − L| ≥ ϵ.
We can express the definition by logic. The limit exists:
∃ L, ∀ ε > 0, ∃ δ > 0 s.t. ∀ x, 0 < |x − a| < δ ⇒ |f (x) − L| < ε
The limit does not exists:
∀ L, ∃ ε > 0, ∀ δ > 0 s.t. ∃ x, 0 < |x − a| < δ ⇒ |f (x) − L| ≥ ε
Infinite Limits
The Precise Definition of an Infinite Limit
Sometimes the limit of a function as x approaches a does not exists, and

it seems to continue growing to infinity as x approaches a.
We have a similar precise definition for infinite limits:
Definition (The Precise Definition of an Infinite Limit)
Let f be a function deined on some open interval that contains the
number a, except possibly at a itself. Then
lim f (x) = ∞
x→a
means that for every number N > 0 there is a number δ > 0 such that
if 0 < |x − a| < δ then f (x) > N
We can consider the meaning of ∞ as “for any number N > 0, the

number is greater than N ”.
Infinite Limits
Exercise
1
Prove lim = ∞.
x→−3 (x + 3)4
Solution
Write down the statement:
For every number N > 0, there is a number δ > 0 such that
1
if 0 < |x + 3| < δ then >N
(x + 3)4
1
Easy to find out that δ = √
4 .
N
Infinite Limits
Generalization of Limits
Now, you should be able to write down the statements of all kinds of limit.
(Exercise 2(b), Exercise 3(a))
Limit: L, ∞(−∞), does not exist
Approach: x → a, x → a+ (a− ), x → ∞(−∞)
Advanced Topics and Conclusion
2 Infinite Limits
Some Weird Functions
Most of functions we have seen are continuous, or piece-wise continuous,

which are easy to guess and find out their limits. However, there are
functions that are hard to determine whether their limits exist using
intuition.
Dirichlet Function:
{
0, x is rational
f (x) =
1, x is irrational
Some Weird Functions
Thomae’s Function
{ p(∈Z)
1
, if x is rational and x = q(∈N) , p, q coprime
f (x) = q
0, if x is irrational
Figure: Thomae’s Function at [0, 1]
Check the ϵ-δ definition (and some basic properties of real numbers), and
we can find out the limit (or prove the limit does not exist)!
Conclusion
1 The same definition can be applied to higher dimensional case (you

will learn it in Calculus 3).
2 The ϵ-δ language is so useful for rigorous proofs in mathematical
analysis.
3 Don’t be scared and try to get a sense of this definition.

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Week 2 - The Precise Definition of a Limit

Shi, Bo-An 施柏安

Class#07 Calculus 1 TA, NTU (Ver.1)

September 13, 2023

1 The Precise Definition of a Limit

3 Advanced Topics and Conclusion

1 The Precise Definition of a Limit

3 Advanced Topics and Conclusion

The Intuition of a Limit

We have learned the intuition of a limit:

says that we can make the values of f (x) arbitrarily close to L by

does lim f (x) exist?

From Intuition to Precise Definition

The intuition can be described as a game:

I claim that lim x2 = 4.

The Precise Definition of a Limit

Definition (The Precise Definition of an Limit)

if for every number ε > 0, there is a δ > 0 (depending on ε) such that

if 0 < |x − a| < δ then |f (x) − L| < ε

The precise definition of a limit conforms to our intuition. No matter how

1 The Precise Definition of a Limit

3 Advanced Topics and Conclusion

The Precise Definition of Limit Does Not Exist

We can express the definition by logic. The limit exists:

∃ L, ∀ ε > 0, ∃ δ > 0 s.t. ∀ x, 0 < |x − a| < δ ⇒ |f (x) − L| < ε

The limit does not exists:

∀ L, ∃ ε > 0, ∀ δ > 0 s.t. ∃ x, 0 < |x − a| < δ ⇒ |f (x) − L| ≥ ε

The Precise Definition of an Infinite Limit

Sometimes the limit of a function as x approaches a does not exists, and

if 0 < |x − a| < δ then f (x) > N

We can consider the meaning of ∞ as “for any number N > 0, the

1 The Precise Definition of a Limit

3 Advanced Topics and Conclusion

Some Weird Functions

Most of functions we have seen are continuous, or piece-wise continuous,

Some Weird Functions

Figure: Thomae’s Function at [0, 1]

1 The same definition can be applied to higher dimensional case (you

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