Definition of the Limit of a Function

 
Consider the function ,
If   as ,    then is the limit of the function as approaches .
 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 ( 𝒙)= 𝑳 .
In symbol;
𝒙→𝒂
 𝒍𝒊𝒎 (𝟑 𝒙 +𝟏) .
Illustration: Evaluate
𝒙→𝟏
 Constructthe table of values showing values of approaching coming
from the left and values of approaching coming from the right
𝒙  𝟎  .𝟑 𝟎  . 𝟒 𝟎  . 𝟔 𝟎  . 𝟖 𝟎  . 𝟗 𝟎  . 𝟗𝟗 𝟎  . 𝟗𝟗𝟗  𝟏 𝟏  .𝟎𝟎𝟏𝟏  .𝟎𝟏 𝟏  .𝟏 𝟏  .𝟏𝟓 𝟏  .𝟐 𝟏  .𝟐𝟓 𝟏  .𝟑
 𝟑 𝒙+𝟏 𝟏  .𝟗 𝟐  .𝟐  𝟐 .𝟖 𝟑  . 𝟒 𝟑  .𝟕 𝟑  . 𝟗𝟕 𝟑  . 𝟗𝟗𝟕 𝟒  .𝟎𝟎𝟑𝟒  .𝟎𝟑𝟒  .𝟑 𝟒  . 𝟒𝟓 𝟒  .𝟔 𝟒  .𝟕𝟓 𝟒  .𝟗
Observe the values reflected in the
  𝒍𝒊𝒎 (𝟑 𝒙+𝟏 )= 𝟒
table:
 .   As ,   . In symbol, − Left-hand limit
𝒙→𝟏
 .   As ,   . In symbol,
  𝒍𝒊𝒎 Right-hand limit
+¿
𝒙 → 𝟏 (𝟑 𝒙 +𝟏)=𝟒 ¿
 
.
ce the left-hand and right-hand limits are equal, then
  𝒚 − 𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒔
𝒇  ( 𝒙 )=𝟑 𝒙 +𝟏
 𝟓

 𝟒   , 𝟒)
(𝟏
 𝟑

 𝟐

 𝟏

 𝒙 − 𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒔
 𝟎  𝟏  𝟐  𝟑

  𝑭𝒊𝒈 . 𝟏 . 𝒍𝒊𝒎 (𝟑 𝒙 +𝟏)=𝟒

𝒙→ 𝟏
-Hand Limits
 If as approaches coming from the(the left
  value of is less than ),
 
the function approaches
thena is
real number
called the left-hand limit.
, In symbol,
  𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 ( 𝒙)= 𝑲
−
𝒙→𝒂

Example 1.   Evaluate
Solution:    construct a table values of ;
 
𝟏.𝟔  𝟏 .𝟔𝟓  𝟏 .𝟕  𝟏 .𝟕𝟓  𝟏 .𝟖  𝟏.𝟗  𝟏 .𝟗𝟗  𝟐
𝟒 .𝟐
 
𝟒
 
.𝟑 𝟒 .𝟒 𝟒 .𝟓  𝟒 .𝟔  𝟒 .𝟖  𝟒 .𝟗𝟖
   

Observe the values reflected in the

table:
  Notice that ,  

  𝒍𝒊𝒎 (𝟐 𝒙+𝟏 )=𝟓

In symbol, −
𝒙→𝟐
  𝒚 − 𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒔

 𝟕

 𝟔

 𝟓   ,𝟓)
(𝟐
 𝟒
𝒇  ( 𝒙 )=𝟐 𝒙 +𝟏
 𝟑

 𝟐

 𝟏

 𝟎  𝟏  𝟐  𝟑  𝒙 − 𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒔

  𝑭𝒊𝒈 . 𝟏 . 𝒍𝒊𝒎 ( 𝟐 𝒙 +𝟏)=𝟓

−
𝒙→ 𝟐
Ex. 2.
  Evaluate

Solution:  construct a table values of ;

−𝟏
  .𝟑 −𝟏.𝟐𝟓
  −𝟏.𝟐
  −𝟏.𝟏𝟓
  −𝟏.𝟏
 
−𝟏.𝟎𝟏
  −𝟏
  . 𝟎𝟎𝟏  −𝟏
𝟎  .𝟓𝟓 𝟎  .𝟓 𝟎.𝟒𝟒𝟕
 
𝟎  .𝟑𝟖𝟕 𝟎.𝟑𝟏𝟔
  𝟎  .𝟏 𝟎  . 𝟎𝟑
From the values reflected in the
  As ,
table:
 
− 𝒙 − 𝟏→ 𝟎 .  
√ In symbol;

 𝒚 − 𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒔

 𝟑

 𝟐
 𝒚= √− 𝒙 −𝟏
 𝟏

 𝒙 − 𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒔
−𝟐
  −𝟏
   𝟎
Ex. 3.   Evaluate

Solution:  construct a table values of ;

−𝟏
  .𝟑 −𝟏.𝟐𝟓
  −𝟏.𝟐
  −𝟏.𝟏𝟓
  −𝟏.𝟏
 
−𝟏.𝟎𝟏
  −𝟏
  . 𝟎𝟎𝟏  −𝟏
 𝒊  𝒊  𝒊  𝒊  𝒊  𝒊  𝒊

 As reflected in the table, notice that any value of less than will give a
negative radicand, hence, the value of the function is imaginary.
Since the function does not approach a definite value, then the limit of the
function does not exist.   In symbol;
  The
graph of the function is the upper half of the parabola with vertex at
and opening to the right. Hence, there can never a point to the left of .
 𝒚 − 𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒔

 𝟐
 𝒚= √ 𝒙 +𝟏
 𝟏

−𝟐
  −𝟏
   𝟎  𝟏  𝒙 − 𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒔