Warm-up Exercises

Limits

1. An Introduction To Limits
2. Techniques for Calculating Limits
3. One-Sided Limits
4. Limits Involving Infinity
 Introduction to Limits
x 1
2
Consider the function f ( x)  .
x 1
 Limit of a Function

x 1
2

The function f ( x) 
x 1
is not defined at x = 1, so its
graph has a “hole” at x = 1.
 Limit of a Function

x 1
2
f ( x) 
x 1

The values of f(x) get closer and closer to 2 as x gets closer and
closer to 1.
x2 1
We say that “the limit of as x approaches 1 is equal to 2”
x 1
and write x2 1
lim  2.
x 1 x  1
 Limit of a Function

Limit of a Function
Let f be a function and let a and L be real numbers. L is the limit of
f(x) as x approaches a, written
lim f ( x)  L,
x a
if the following conditions are met.
1. As x assumes values closer and closer (but not equal ) to a on both
sides of a, the corresponding values of f(x) get closer and closer
(and are perhaps equal) to L.
2. The value of f(x) can be made as close to L as desired by taking
values of x arbitrarily close to a.
Precise Definition of Limit
Precise Definition of Limit
Precise Definition of Limit
 Finding the Limit of a Polynomial Function

Example Find lim ( x 2

 3x  4).
x1
 Finding the Limit of a Polynomial Function

Example Find lim ( x 2

 3x  4).
x1

Solution The behavior of f ( x)  x2  3x  4 near x = 1 can be determined

from a table of values,

x approaches 1

x 0.9 0.99 0.999 1.001 1.01 1.1

f(x) 2.11 2.0101 2.001 1.999 1.9901 1.91

f(x) approaches 2
 Finding the Limit of a Polynomial Function

Solution

We see that
lim ( x2  3x  4)  2.
x1
 Finding the Limit of a Function
 2 x  1 if x  3
Example Find lim f ( x) where f ( x)   .
x 3
4 x  5 if x  3
 Finding the Limit of a Function
 2 x  1 if x  3
Example Find lim f ( x) where f ( x)   .
x 3
4 x  5 if x  3
Solution
When do we say that the limit of a function does not
exist?
If there is no single value that is approached by f(x) as x
approaches a, we say that f(x) does not have a limit as x
approaches a, or lim f ( x ) does not exist.
x a
 Determining Whether a Limit Exists

Example Find lim f ( x) where

x 2

4 x  5 if x  2
f ( x)   .
3x  5 if x  2
 Determining Whether a Limit Exists

Solution

f(x) approaches 3 as x gets closer to 2 from the left,

f(x) approaches 1 as x gets closer to 2 from the right.

Therefore, lim
x 2
f ( x) does not exist.
 Determining Whether a Limit Exists

1
Example Find lim f ( x) where f ( x)  2 .
x 0 x
 Determining Whether a Limit Exists

Solution
As x approaches 0, the corresponding values of f(x) grow arbitrarily
large.

Therefore, lim 1 does not exist.

x 0 x 2
 Limit of a Function

Conditions Under Which lim f ( x ) Fails To Exist

xa

1. f(x) approaches a number L as x approaches a from the left and

f(x) approaches a different number M as x approaches a from the
right.
2. f(x) becomes infinitely large in absolute value as x approaches a
from either side.
3. f(x) oscillates infinitely many times between two fixed values as x
approaches a.
 Limits

1. An Introduction To Limits
2. Techniques for Calculating Limits
3. One-Sided Limits
4. Limits Involving Infinity
 Limit Theorems

Rules for Limits

1. Constant rule If k is a constant real number, lim k k .
xa

2. Limit of x rule lim x  a .

x a

For the following rules, we assume that lim f ( x ) and lim g ( x)

xa x a
both exist.
3. Sum and difference rules
lim[ f ( x)  g ( x)]  lim f ( x)  lim g ( x).
x a x a x a
 Limit Theorems

Rules for Limits

4. Product Rule

lim[ f ( x)  g ( x)]  lim f ( x)  lim g ( x).

x a x a x a

5. Quotient Rule
f ( x) lim f ( x)
lim  x a .
x a g ( x) lim g ( x)
x a

provided lim g ( x)  0.
x a
 Finding a Limit of a Linear Function

Example Find lim (3  2 x).

x4
 Finding a Limit of a Linear Function

Example Find lim (3  2 x).

x4

Solution lim (3  2 x)  lim 3  lim 2 x

x 4 x 4 x 4

 3  lim 2  lim x Rules 1 and 4

x 4 x 4

 3 24 Rules 1 and 2

 11
Finding a Limit of a Polynomial Function with One Term

2
Example Find lim 3x .
x5
Finding a Limit of a Polynomial Function with One Term

2
Example Find lim 3x .
x5

Solution lim 3x2  lim 3  lim x2 Rule 4

x5 x5 x5

 3  lim x2 Rule 1
x 5

 3  lim x  lim x Rule 4

x 5 x 5

 3 5 5 Rule 2
 75
Finding a Limit of a Polynomial Function with One Term

For any polynomial function in the form f ( x)  kx n ,

lim f ( x)  k  a n  f (a).
xa
 Finding a Limit of a Polynomial Function

Example Find lim (4 x3  6 x  1).

x2
 Finding a Limit of a Polynomial Function

Example Find lim (4 x3  6 x  1).

x2

Solution lim (4 x3  6 x  1)  lim 4 x3  lim 6 x  lim 1 Rule 3

x2 x2 x2 x2

 4  2  6  2 1
3

 21
 Limit Theorems

Rules for Limits (Continued)

For the following rules, we assume that lim f ( x ) and lim g ( x)
xa x a

both exist.

6. Polynomial rule If p(x) defines a polynomial function, then

lim p( x)  p (a ).
x a
 Limit Theorems

Rules for Limits (Continued)

7. Rational function rule

p( x)
If f(x) defines a rational function with q(a)  0 , then lim f ( x)  f (a).
x a
q( x)

8. Equal functions rule

If f(x) = g(x) for all x  a, then lim f ( x)  lim g ( x).
x a x a
 Limit Theorems

Rules for Limits (Continued)

9. Power rule For any real number k,
k
lim[ f ( x)]k  lim f ( x) 
x a  x a 
provided this limit exists.
 Limit Theorems

Rules for Limits (Continued)

10. Exponent rule For any real number b > 0,
lim f ( x )
lim b f ( x)
b xa
.
xa

11.Logarithm rule For any real number b > 0 with b  1,

lim logb f ( x)  logb lim f ( x) 

x a  xa 
provided that lim f ( x)  0.
xa
 Techniques For Calculating Limits

x2  2 x  3
Example Find lim
x1 x  3 x  2
2
.
 Techniques For Calculating Limits

x2  2 x  3
Example Find lim
x1 x  3 x  2
2
.

x  2x  3  0 
2
Solution lim 2  
x 1 x  3 x  2
0
x 2  2 x  3 ( x  3)( x  1) x  3
 
x  3x  2 ( x  2)( x  1) x  2
2

x  3 1 3 4
lim    4
x 1 x  2 1  2 1
 Techniques For Calculating Limits

Evaluate each limit (if it exists). If the limit does not exist,
write dne.
x  2
1 ) lim
x 4 x  4
 Techniques For Calculating Limits

Evaluate each limit (if it exists). If the limit does not exist,
write dne.
x2  x  2
2) lim
x 2 x2
 Techniques For Calculating Limits

Evaluate each limit (if it exists). If the limit does not exist,
write dne.
x 2  8 x  15
3) lim 2
x 3 x  2x  3
 Techniques For Calculating Limits

Evaluate each limit (if it exists). If the limit does not exist,
write dne.
1 1

4) lim x  8 8
x 0 x
 Exercises

Time allotment: 15 minutes

 Limits

1 An Introduction To Limits
2 Techniques for Calculating Limits
3 One-Sided Limits
4. Limits Involving Infinity
 One-Sided Limits

Limits of the form

lim f ( x)  L
x a

are called two-sided limits since the values of x get close to

a from both the right and left sides of a.

Limits which consider values of x on only one side of a are

called one-sided limits.
 One-Sided Limits

The right-hand limit,

lim f ( x)  L
xa

is read “the limit of f(x) as x approaches a from the right is

L.”

As x gets closer and closer to a from the right (x > a), the
values of f(x) get closer and closer to L.
 One-Sided Limits

The left-hand limit,

lim f ( x)  L
xa

is read “the limit of f(x) as x approaches a from the left is L.”

As x gets closer and closer to a from the left (x < a), the
values of f(x) get closer and closer to L.
 Finding One-Sided Limits of a Piecewise-Defined Function

Example Find xlim

2
f ( x) and lim f ( x) where

x 2 

 x  6 if x  2
5 if x  2
f ( x)  
 1 x 2 if x  2
 2
 Finding One-Sided Limits of a Piecewise-Defined Function

Example Find xlim

2
f ( x) and lim f ( x) where

x 2 

 x  6 if x  2
5 if x  2
f ( x)  
 1 x 2 if x  2
 2

lim f ( x)  lim x   2   2
1 2 1 2
x 2 x 2 2 2

lim f ( x)  lim ( x  6)  2  6  8
x 2 x 2
 Limits

1. An Introduction To Limits
2. Techniques for Calculating Limits
3. One-Sided Limits
4. Limits Involving Infinity
 Infinity as a Limit

A function may increase without bound as x gets closer and closer to a

from the right.
 Infinity as a Limit

The right-hand limit does not exist but the behavior is

described by writing

lim f ( x)  
x a

If the values of f(x) decrease without bound, write

lim f ( x)  
xa

The notation is similar for left-hand limits.

 Infinity as a Limit

Summary of infinite limits

 Finding One-Sided Limits

1
Example Find xlim f ( x) and lim f ( x) where f ( x)  .
2 
x 2 x2

Solution From the graph

 Limits as x Approaches +

A function may approach an asymptotic value as x moves in

the positive or negative direction.

lim f ( x)  2 lim g ( x)  1
x  x 
 Limits as x Approaches +

The notation,
lim f ( x)  L
x 

is read “the limit of f(x) as x approaches infinity is L.”

The values of f(x) get closer and closer to L as x gets larger

and larger.
 Limits as x Approaches +

The notation,
lim f ( x)  L
x 

is read “the limit of f(x) as x approaches negative infinity is L.”

The values of f(x) get closer and closer to L as x assumes

negative values of larger and larger magnitude.
Limit Theorems
 Finding a Limit at Infinity

5x  7 x  1
2
Example Find lim 2 .
x  2 x  x  5
 Finding a Limit at Infinity

5x  7 x  1
2
Example Find lim 2 .
x  2 x  x  5

Solution Divide numerator and denominator by

the highest power of x involved, x2.
7 1
5  2
5x  7 x  1
2
x x
lim  lim
x  2 x 2  x  5 x  1 5
2  2
x x
 Finding a Limit at Infinity

Solution
7 1
5  2
5x  7 x  1
2
x x
lim  lim
x  2 x 2  x  5 x  1 5
2  2
x x

7 1
lim 5   2
x  x x

1 5
lim 2   2
x  x x
 Finding a Limit at Infinity

Solution
1 1
lim 5  7  lim  lim
5 x  7 x  1 x 
2
x  x x  x2
lim 
x  2 x  x  5
2
1 1
lim 2  lim  5  lim
x  x  x x  x2

500 5
 
200 2
 3 2

3  2x 3  2x  x3
x 3
x 2 0
Example 2 : Find lim lim 3   0
x  3 x 3  1 x  3 x  1  x 3 1 3
3 3
x
If the degree of the numerator is less than the degree of the denominator then the limit of the rational
function is 0. 3
2
3  2x  x x 2 2
3  2x lim   
Example 3 : Find lim x  3 x  1  x 1 3 3
x  3 x  1 3
x
If the degree of the numerator is equal to the degree of the denominator then the limit of the rational
function is the ratio of the leading coefficients.
3
 2x
3  2x2 3  2 x 2 x x 
Example 4 : Find lim lim     (DNE)
x  3 x  1 x  3 x  1 x 3  1 3
x

If the degree of the numerator is greater than the degree of the denominator then the limit of the rational
function DNE.
 More Examples
Example 5
x

lim x  2 x4 3

 More Examples
Example 5 2
lim x  2 x  xlim
4 3 x (1  )  (1  0)  
4

x    x
Example
Example
Example
 Example

 2 2 
lim  3 x  5 x  2 
x  
 x 
 Example

 2 2 
lim  3 x  5 x  2 
x  
 x 
 2 2  2 5 2 
 lim  3 x  5 x  2   x  3   4 
x  
 x   x x 
 (3  0  0)  
Another Indeterminate Form
Recall
Example
Example
Example
Example
 Exercises
 x  x 
3 x  12 lim   

1. lim 4 x 0
 x 
x 4 3  2x 1 .

2  2x 
. 5. lim  

x 0
 x 

 2x 
3 6. lim  

x 0
.
 x 
Squeeze Theorem
 Squeeze Theorem
1
Use Squeeze Theorem to evaluate lim x cos .
2
x 0
 x
 Squeeze Theorem

 2  1 
lim ( x  x  2) cos  
x 1
  x  1 
 Squeeze Theorem

sin x
lim
x   x
 Limits of Trigonometric Functions
Example: Evaluate:
sin( 3 x )
lim
x 0 x
 Limits of Trigonometric Functions
Example: Evaluate:
sin( x 2  1)
lim
x  1 x 1
 Limits of Trigonometric Functions
Exercises
 1  cos x 
1) lim tan  
x 0
 x 
 1  cos x 
2 ) lim  
 
x 0 2
x
 1  cos 3 x 
3) lim  
 
x 0 2
2x