2.

2 Limits Involving Infinity

 1
f  x 
x

1
lim  0
x  x

As the denominator gets larger, the value of the fraction

gets smaller.

There is a horizontal asymptote if:

lim f  x   b or lim f  x   b
x  x 

Example 1:

x x x
lim  lim  lim 1
x 
x2  1 x 
x2 x  x

This number becomes insignificant as x.

 There is a horizontal asymptote at 1.


Example 2: sin x sin x
f  x  Find: lim
x x  x

When we graph this

function, the limit appears
1  sin x  1
to be zero.
1 sin x 1
so for x  0 :  
x x x
1 sin x 1  by the sandwich
lim  lim  lim theorem:
x  x x  x x  x

sin x
sin x lim 0
0  lim 0 x  x
x  x 
Example 3:
5 x  sin x
Find: lim
x  x

 5 x sin x 
lim   
x   x x 

sin x
lim 5  lim
x  x  x

50

5

 Infinite Limits:
1
f  x 
x

As the denominator approaches

zero, the value of the fraction gets vertical
asymptote
very large. at x=0.

1
If the denominator is positive then the lim  
fraction is positive. x 0 x

1
If the denominator is negative then lim  
the fraction is negative. x 0 x


Example 4:
1
lim 2  
x 0 x The denominator is positive
in both cases, so the limit is
1 the same.
lim 2  
x 0 x

1
 lim 2  
x 0 x


 End Behavior Models:

End behavior models model the behavior of a function as

x approaches infinity or negative infinity.

A function g is:

f  x
a right end behavior model for f if and only if lim 1
x  g  x 

f  x
a left end behavior model for f if and only if lim 1
x  g  x 


Example 7: f  x  x  e x

As x   , e x
approaches zero. (The x term dominates.)

 g  x   x becomes a right-end behavior model.

Test of xe x
e x Our model
model lim  lim1   1 0  1 is correct.
x  x x  x
x
As x  , e increases faster than x decreases,
x
therefore e is dominant.

 h  x   e  x becomes a left-end behavior model.

Test of
x  e x x Our model
model lim 
 lim  x
 1  0 1  1 is correct.
x  e x x  e

Example 7: f  x  x  e x

 g  x   x becomes a right-end behavior model.

 h  x   e  x becomes a left-end behavior model.

On your calculator, graph:
y1  x
y2  e  x
y3  x  e  x

Use: 10  x  10
1  y  9


Example 7:
2 x5  x 4  x 2  1
f  x 
3x 2  5 x  7

Right-end behavior models give us:

2 x5 2 x3
2

3x 3

dominant terms in numerator and denominator


Often you can just “think through” limits.

0
1  lim sin x
lim sin   0
x   x x 0