Infinite Limits and

Limits at Infinity
Some Properties
• 

Examples:
1.
2.
Infinite Limits and Vertical
Asymptotes
•  The vertical line is a vertical asymptote for the graph of if any of the
following holds:

See DEFINITION on page 107

• Given . Find the vertical asymptotes (VA).
• Identify the values of that makes the function undefined.
• Take the limit of the function as approaches each of these values.
• If an infinite limit results as from any direction, then is a VA.
Locating VA of Rational Functions
•  If is a rational function such that and , then the line is a VA of the
graph of .
See Theorem 1 on page 107
• Example: Find the VA of each function
Limits at Infinity
• 

Generalize: if is a positive real number.

What about if is a positive real number?

Limits at Infinity
• 

Generalize: or if is a positive real number

provided that is a real number.

What about if is a positive real number?

Limits of Power Functions at Infinity
•  If is a positive real number and is any nonzero real number, then

1. depending on and
2. depending on and

See Theorem 2 on page 110

 Consider the limit:
•  The limit of a polynomial function at infinity is the limit of the
highest degree term of the function. The result is either or
depending on the degree of the polynomial and the sign of the
leading coefficient. See Theorem 3 on page 111
• The result describes the end behavior of the function:
right end behavior: graph increases without bound going indefinitely to the
right
left end behavior: graph increases without bound going indefinitely to the left
right end behavior: graph decreases without bound going indefinitely to the
right
left end behavior: graph decreases without bound going indefinitely to the
left
Exercise: Use limits to describe the
end behavior of each polynomial
function
• 

1.
Consider the following limits:
•1. 
- Right end and left end behaviors: graph approaches the line
(horizontal asymptote)
2.
- Right end and left end behaviors: graph approaches the line
(horizontal asymptote)
3.
- Right end and left end behaviors: graph increases or decreases
without bound (no horizontal asymptote)
Finding Horizontal Asymptotes
•  If degree of the numerator is less than the degree of the
denominator, then is a horizontal asymptote.
• If degree of the numerator is equal to the degree of the
denominator, then is a horizontal asymptote.
• If degree of the numerator is greater than the degree of the
denominator, then there is no horizontal asymptote.
• See Theorem 4 on page 113.
Exercise: Find all HA and VA of the graph of
each. Then, use limits to describe the
behavior of the graph at each VA. Also
describe the end behavior of the function.
• 
Exercise: Find the following limits.
•1.  Given .

a) b) c) d) e)

2. Given

a) b) c) d)
Graded Assignment
• Pages 175 – 177 # 14 – 23, 57 – 59, 62, 64, 66, 69
• Use A4 size paper
• Due on Thursday, Feb 13