Limit of Function at a point (1)

Definition: (The Limit of a Function)

If f (x) gets closer and closer to a number L as x gets closer and closer to a from
both sides (but not equal to a), then L is the limit of f (x) as x approaches a.

The behavior is expressed by writing

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝑳 --------(∗)

𝒙→𝒂

❖ The expression (∗) can also be written as

𝒇(𝒙) → 𝑳 as 𝒙→𝒂
and read as f (x) approaches L as x approaches a.

➢ Notice the phrase “but 𝑥 ≠ 𝑎” in the definition of limit. This means that in
finding the limit of f (x) as x approaches a, we never consider 𝑥 = 𝑎. In fact,
f (x) need not even be defined when 𝑥 = 𝑎. The only thing that matters is
“How f is defined near a”

➢ Notice the phrase “as x gets closer and closer to a from both sides” in
the definition of limit. This means that x gets closer and closer to a either
from left or from right.
One-Sided Limits (2)

• Limit from Left: We use the notation x → a− to indicate that x

approaches a from the left side. From the left side means that the x-values
should be less than a. So,

L. H. L = lim− 𝑓(𝑥 ) = 𝑥→𝑎

lim 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→𝑎
𝑥<𝑎

• Limit from Right: We use the notation x → a+ to indicate that x

approaches a from the left side. From the left side means that the x-values
should be less than a. So,

R. H. L = lim+ 𝑓 (𝑥 ) = 𝑥→𝑎
lim 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→𝑎
𝑥>𝑎

❖ The limits lim− 𝑓(𝑥) and lim+ 𝑓(𝑥) are called one-sided limits.
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎

➢ Notice in the definition of limit that whether x gets closer and closer to a
from left or x gets closer and closer to a from right, f (x) gets closer and
closer to a same number L in both cases. Thus, we can write
Example -1: If we consider the function (3)
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 1

The function can evaluate its value at 𝑥 = 2 and 𝑓(2) = 3. So,

The point 𝑥 = 2 is included in the domain of function 𝑓(𝑥)

Let us examine the behavior of the function for 𝑥-values closer and closer to 2
from the left and from the right:

• lim 𝑓(𝑥) = lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 3 and lim 𝑓(𝑥) = lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 3

𝑥 → 2− 𝑥→2 𝑥 → 2+ 𝑥→2
𝑥<2 𝑥>2
Since
lim 𝑓(𝑥) = lim+ 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥 → 2− 𝑥→2
We say that the
“Limit of 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 1 is 3 as 𝑥 approaches 2 either from left or right of 2”
and we write
lim (𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 1) = 3.
𝑥 →2
Example -2: Consider the function (4)
𝑥−1
𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥2 − 1
The function is unable to evaluate its value at 𝑥 = 1 because attempting this
0
evaluation results in the meaningless fraction . So,
0
The point 𝑥 = 1 is not included in the domain of function 𝑓(𝑥)

Let us examine the behavior of the function for x-values closer and closer to 1
from the left and from the right:
x 0.5 0.9 0.99 0.999 0.9999 1.0001 1.001 1.01 1.1 1.5
1
f(x) 0.6666 0.5263 0.5025 0.5002 0.5000 0.4999 0.4997 0.4975 0.4761 0.4000

• lim 𝑓(𝑥) = lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 0.5 and lim 𝑓(𝑥) = lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 0.5
𝑥 → 1− 𝑥→1 𝑥 → 1+ 𝑥→1
𝑥<1 𝑥>1
Since
lim 𝑓(𝑥) = lim+ 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥 → 1− 𝑥→1
𝑥 − 1
We say that the “Limit of is 0.5 as 𝑥 approaches 1 from either side,”
𝑥2 − 1
and we write
𝑥 −1
lim = 0.5 .
𝑥→1 𝑥2 − 1
 (5)
➢ Now let’s change slightly by giving it the value 2 when 𝒙 = 1 and calling
the resulting function g(x),
𝑥 −1
𝒈(𝒙) = {𝑥 2 − 1 , 𝑥 ≠ 1
2 ,𝑥 = 1

• This new function g(x) still has the same limit as approaches 1. (See figure)

Because it doesn’t matter whether the given function is defined at x = a or not,

the limit of f (x) is the behavior of f (x) near and very near to point x=a, either
from left or right side of x=a
CONCLUSION
The general description drawn from Example-1 and Example-2
One-Sided Limits Disagree (6)
|𝑥|
Example-3: Show that lim does not exist.
𝑥 →0 𝑥

|𝑥|
Because these one-sided limits are not equal, so lim does not exist.
𝑥 →0 𝑥

Example-4: Show that lim ⟦𝑥⟧ does not exist.

𝑥 →3

Solution: Consider the graph of the function

lim ⟦𝑥⟧ = 2 but lim ⟦𝑥⟧ = 3

𝑥 →3− 𝑥 →3+
Because these one-sided limits are not equal, so lim ⟦𝑥⟧ does not exist.
𝑥 →3
Example-5: (Determining Limit Graphically) (7)
Use the graph in figure below to determine lim− 𝑓 (𝑥), lim+ 𝑓 (𝑥) and lim 𝑓 (𝑥).
𝑥→1 𝑥→1 𝑥 →1

Solution:
lim 𝑓(𝑥) = lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 2
𝑥 → 1− 𝑥→1
𝑥<1

lim 𝑓(𝑥) = lim 𝑓(𝑥) = −1

𝑥 → 1+ 𝑥→1
𝑥>1

Since these one-sided limits are different, so lim 𝑓 (𝑥) does not exist.
𝑥 →1

CONCLUSION
The general description drawn from Example-3, Example-4 and Example-5

In all three cases the two-sided limit does not exist as x →a because the one-sided
limits are not equal since

➢ Observe that: When both one-sided limits lim− 𝑓(𝑥) and lim+ 𝑓(𝑥) exist
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
but they are not equal then there is always a jump in the graph of function
f(x) at x=a.
Infinite Limit (Vertical Asymptotes) (8)
Example-6: Consider the function
1
𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥
The function is unable to evaluate its value at 𝑥 = 0 because attempting this
1
evaluation results in the meaningless fraction . So,
0

The point 𝑥 = 0 is not included in the domain of function 𝑓(𝑥)

Let us examine the behavior of the function for x-values closer and closer to 0
from the left and from the right:

It is evident from the graph and table in Figure above that

• when x is less than 0, that is as x approaches the value 0 from the left the
1
values of f(x) get nearer and nearer to –∞. That is lim− = −∞
𝑥→0 𝑥

• When x is greater than 0 that is approaches 0 from the right the function
1
f(x) approaches +∞. That is lim+ = +∞
𝑥→0 𝑥
1
We draw the following conclusion that lim does not exist.
𝑥 →0 𝑥
 1
Example-7: Find if it exists lim (9)
𝑥 →0 𝑥 2

1
Solution: As x becomes close to 0, 𝑥 2 also becomes close to 0, and becomes
𝑥2
very large. (See the table in the margin.)

In fact, it appears from the graph of the function shown in Figure above that the
values of f(x) can be made arbitrarily large by taking x close enough to 0.
1
Thus, the values of do not approach a number, so lim does not exist.
𝑥 →0 𝑥2
 (10)
SAMPLING PITFALLS
(11)