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LIMITS OF A FUNCTION
 LIMITS of a FUNCTION

 Consider a function f of a single variable x.

 Consider a constant c which the variable x

will approach .
 The limit, to be denoted by L, is the unique
real value that f(x) will approach as x
approaches c.
 In symbols, we write this as . . .
lim f(x) = L
x-> c

“The limit of f(x) as x approaches c is L.”

Example

lim ( 1 + 3x)
x ->2
Graph of the function y = 1+3x
 lim (1+3x) =7
Table of Values for x ->2

x f(x) x f(x)
1 4 3 10
1.4 5.2 2.5 8.5
1.9 6.7 2.2 7.6
1.95 6.85 2.1 7.3
1.997 6.991 2.03 7.09
1.9999 6.9997 2.005 7.0015
1.99999 6.9999997 2.0000001 7.0000003
99
Example

lim ( x2+1)
x ->-1
 x y x y
-1.5 3.25 -0.5 1.25
-1.2 2.44 -0.8 1.64
-1.01 2.0201 -0.99 1.9801
-1.0001 2.00020001 -0.9999 1.99980001

lim (x2 +1) = 2

x->-1
Investigate through a table of values
lim f(x)
x-> 4
f(x) = x+1, x<4 f(x) = (x-4)2 +3, x≥4
x f(x) x f(x)
3.7 4.7 4.3 3.09
3.85 4.85 4.1 3.01
3.995 4.995 4.001 3.000001
3.99999 4.99999 4.00001 3.000000001

The limit does not exist. DNE

 Important
lim f(x) = L
x-> c
If and only if

lim f(x) = L and lim f(x) = L

x-> c- x-> c+
lim f(x) = 1 lim f(x) = 2 lim f(x) = DNE
x→ 1- x→ 1+ x→ 1
 lim f(x) = 1
x→

lim f(x) = 2
x→

lim f(x) = DNE

x→
lim f(x) = 2
x→
lim f(x) = 3
x→

lim f(x) = DNE

x→
lim f(x) = 1 lim f(x) = 0 lim f(x) = DNE
x→ 0- x→ 0+ x→ 0

lim f(x) = 1
x→ 1-
lim f(x) = 1
x→ 1+
lim f(x) = 1
x→ 1
f(0) = 0
f(1) = undefined
End of presentation