Grade 11:

Basic CALCULUS
Limit laws!
1. Constant Rule

If c is a constant real number, then

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒄 = 𝒄
𝒙→𝒂
Example:

lim 𝟏𝟎𝟎 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎 lim 𝟓 = 𝟓

𝒙→𝟓 𝒙→𝒆
2. Limit of x Rule

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒙 = 𝒂
𝒙→𝒂

Example:

lim 𝒙 = 𝟓 lim 𝒙 = 𝟑. 𝟏𝟒
𝒙→𝟓 𝒙→𝟑.𝟏𝟒
 3. Constant Multiple Rule

The limit of a constant c times a function is equal to the

constant c times the limit of the function provided that the
limit exists. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒄 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒄 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙)
𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂
Example:

lim 𝟒𝒙 = 4 lim 𝒙 = 4 (5) = 20

𝒙→𝟓 𝒙→𝟓
 4. Sum and Difference Rules

The limit of the sum of two functions is

equal to the sum of the individual limit
provided that the limit of each function
as 𝑥 → 𝑎 exists. Subtraction is the same
as addition
4. Sum and Difference Rules
𝐥𝐢𝐦[𝒇 𝒙 + 𝒈 𝒙 ] = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇 𝒙 + 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈 𝒙
𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂

𝐥𝐢𝐦[𝒇 𝒙 − 𝒈 𝒙 ] = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇 𝒙 − 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈 𝒙

𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒙 + 𝟓 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒙 + 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝟓 = 𝟐+𝟓=𝟕

𝒙→𝟐 𝒙→𝟐 𝒙→𝟐

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒙 − 𝟓 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒙 − 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝟓 = 𝟐 − 𝟓 = −𝟑

𝒙→𝟐 𝒙→𝟐 𝒙→𝟐
 5. Product Rule
The limit of the product of two functions is the
product of their limits provided that the limit of
each function as 𝑥 → 𝑎 exists.
𝐥𝐢𝐦[𝒇 𝒙 × 𝒈 𝒙 ] = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇 𝒙 × 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈 𝒙
𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝟑( 𝒙 + 𝟓) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝟑 × 𝐥𝐢𝐦(𝒙 + 𝟓) = 3(7) = 21

𝒙→𝟐 𝒙→𝟐 𝒙→𝟐
 6. Quotient Rule
The limit of the quotient of two functions is the
quotient of their limits provided that the limit of
the divisor is not equal to 0, and the limit of each
function as 𝑥 → 𝑎 exists.
6. Quotient Rule
 7. Power Rule
The limit of the nth power of a function is equal to
the power of the limit of the function provided that
n is a positive integer and the limit of f(x) as x
approaches a exists.

𝒏
𝐥𝐢𝐦[𝒇 𝒙 ] = [𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙)] 𝒏
𝒙→𝟐 𝒙→𝟐
7. Power Rule
 8. Radical/Root Rule
The limit of the nth root of a function is equal to
the principal nth root of the limit of that function
provided that n is a positive integer and that the
limit of the function is positive if n is even.
8. Radical/Root Rule
 Illustrating Limit of
Algebraic Functions
using Limit Laws
(polynomial, rational, and radical)
Example:
2 =9
lim 3𝑥 − 4𝑥 + 5
𝑥→2

You Try:

lim 2𝑥 3 − 4𝑥 2 + 1 =1
𝑥→2
Example:
2 6
2𝑥 − 5𝑥 + 3
lim = =3
𝑥→3 𝑥−1 2
You Try:

2𝑥 6
lim =
𝑥→3 8𝑥 − 5 19
Example:

3𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 2
lim 2
𝑥→1 𝑥+1 = =1
2
You Try:
56
𝑥 2 + 7𝑥 + 12 = = 7
lim 8
𝑥→4 𝑥+4
𝑥 0
𝑎𝑛𝑑
0 0
 1
lim
𝑥→0 𝑥
 1
lim 2
𝑥→0 𝑥
𝑛
0
- Positive Infinity
- Negative Infinity
- DNE
 𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 + 4 𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 + 4
lim lim
𝑥→1 𝑥−1 𝑥→1 𝑥−1

12 − 5(1) + 4 (𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 − 4)
= lim
1−1 𝑥→1 𝑥−1

0 lim 𝑥 − 4
= 𝑥→1
0
1 − 4 = −𝟑
 𝑥2 − 4 𝑥2 − 4
lim lim
𝑥→−2 𝑥 + 2 𝑥→−2 𝑥 + 2

(−2)2 −4 (𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 2)
= lim
−2 + 2 𝑥→−2 𝑥+2

0 lim 𝑥 − 2
= 𝑥→−2
0
(−2) − 2 = −𝟒
 𝑥2 − 1 𝑥 + 1
𝑥2 − 1 lim ∙
lim 𝑥→1 𝑥 − 1 𝑥+1
𝑥→1 𝑥 − 1
(𝑥 2 − 1)( 𝑥 + 1)
= lim
𝑥→1 𝑋−1
(1)2 −1 (𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 + 1)( 𝑥 + 1)
= = lim
1−1 𝑥→1 𝑋−1

0 = lim (𝑥 + 1)( 𝑥 + 1)
𝒙→𝟏
=
0 = 1+1 1+1 =4
0
0
- value can be
anything, but we
need to do some
works first.
 𝑥 0
𝑎𝑛𝑑
0 0
𝟑 𝟑 𝟑
𝒍𝒊𝒎− 𝒍𝒊𝒎+ 𝒍𝒊𝒎−
𝒙→𝟑 𝒙 − 𝟑 𝒙→𝟑 𝒙 − 𝟑 𝒙→𝟑 (𝒙 − 𝟑)𝟐

= -∞ = +∞ = +∞
LIMITS AT INFINITY
 𝟓 𝟐
𝒚 = 𝟒𝒙 −𝟔𝒙 + 𝟑𝒙 − 𝟐
Degree of the function: 5
Leading Term: −𝟔𝒙𝟓
Leading coefficient: -6
2 Rules Example:

• 1. lim 2x = + ∞
𝑥→∞
1
• lim 𝑛 = 0 • 2. lim 2x = −∞
𝑥→−∞
𝑥→∞ 𝑥
1 • 3. lim 𝑥 2 = +∞
𝑥→∞
• lim 𝑛 = 0 4. lim 𝑥 2 = +∞
𝑥→−∞ 𝑥 •
𝑥→−∞
• 5. lim 𝑥 3 = −∞
𝑥→−∞

𝒍𝒊𝒎 −𝟔𝒙𝟓 + 𝟑𝒙𝟐 − 𝟐

𝒙→∞
 𝒍𝒊𝒎 −𝟔𝒙𝟓 + 𝟑𝒙𝟐 − 𝟐
𝒙→∞

𝟓
𝟑 𝟐
= 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒙 (−𝟔 + 𝟑 − 𝟓 )
𝒙→∞ 𝒙 𝒙

= ∞𝟓 (−𝟔 + 𝟎 − 𝟎)
= ∞ −𝟔 = −∞
2 Rules 𝟑𝒙𝟐 + 𝟓𝒙 + 𝟏
𝒍𝒊𝒎
𝒙→∞ 𝟐 − 𝟒𝒙𝟐
1
• lim 𝑛 = 0
𝑥→∞ 𝑥 𝟓𝒙 + 𝟐
1 𝒍𝒊𝒎
• lim 𝑛 = 0 𝒙→∞ 𝟒𝒙𝟐 − 𝟑𝒙
𝑥→−∞ 𝑥
Shortcut for Limits at Infinity

1. Degree of numerator is less than the degree of

denominator, then the limit approaching infinity is 0.

2. Degree of numerator is the same as the degree of

denominator, then the limit is the ratio of leading
coefficients.

3. Degree of numerator is greater than the degree of

denominator, then the limit approaching infinity is the limit
of simplified ratio of the leading term.
Example 1:

4𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 5
lim 5
=
𝑥→∞ 2𝑥 + 2

Example 2:

−9𝑥 3 + 3𝑥 + 5
lim 3
=
𝑥→∞ 5𝑥 + 2

Example 3:

4𝑥 3 + 𝑥 + 5
lim 2
=
𝑥→∞ 2𝑥 + 2
Example 1:

4𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 5
lim 5
=
𝑥→∞ 2𝑥 + 2

4𝑥2 3𝑥 5
− +
𝑥5 𝑥5 𝑥5
= lim 5
𝑥→∞ 2𝑥 + 2
𝑥5 𝑥5

4 3 5
3 − 4 + 5
= lim 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥
𝑥→∞ 2
2+ 5
𝑥
0−0+0 0−0+0
= lim = =0
𝑥→∞ 2 + 0 2+0
Example 2:

−9𝑥 3 + 3𝑥 + 5
lim 3
=
𝑥→∞ 5𝑥 + 2
−9𝑥3 3𝑥 5
+ 3+ 3
= lim 𝑥3 𝑥 𝑥
5𝑥3 2
𝑥→∞ +
𝑥3 𝑥3
3 5
−9+ 2 + 3 −9+0+0 −9
= lim 𝑥
2
𝑥
=
5+0
=
5
𝑥→∞ 5+ 3
𝑥
 2𝑥 − 3 2𝑥 − 3
lim = lim =
𝑥→+∞ 2𝑥 2 −3 𝑥→−∞ 2𝑥 2 −3
2𝑥 3 2𝑥 3
− −
= lim 𝑥 𝑥
2𝑥2 3
= lim 𝑥 𝑥
2𝑥2 3
𝑥→+∞ 𝑥→−∞
− −
𝑥2 𝑥2 𝑥2 𝑥2
3 3
2−𝑥 2−𝑥
= lim = lim
𝑥→+∞ 2−0 𝑥→−∞ 2−0
2−0 2−0
= =
2−0 2−0
2 2
= = 2 = =− 2
2 − 2