11th Grade

Introduction to the
Limits of Functions
 Objective

Illustrate the limit of a function using

the table of values and the graph of the
function
Introduction
 Limits
Limits can be applied in real
life. Everything has a limit in
this world we live in, some of
us are just not aware of it.
Examples of Real Life Application of Limit
 Trivia
LIMITS = Backbone of the Calculus

Calculus = Mathematics of change

 Numerical Representation of the Limits of Functions

The behavior of functions can also be described using the concept of limits.
Informally speaking, the limit of a function refers to the value that a “function”
approaches a specific value.
𝑥−4
𝑓 ( 𝑥 )= 2
𝑥 −16

0−4 1
𝑓 (0) = =
(0) − 16 4
2

Also, as the values of x come close to 0, then the values of f(x) come close to
or 0.25. This is shown in table 1.1
 Table 1.1 Table of values for as x approaches 0.

x approaches 0 from the left x approaches 0 from the right

x -0.1 -0.01 -0.001 -0.0001 0 0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1

f(x) 0.2564103 0.250627 0.250063 0.250006 0.25 0.24999 0.249938 0.249377 0.243902

f(x) approaches 0.25 f(x) approaches 0.25

= =

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇 ( 𝒙 ) =𝟎 .𝟐𝟓
𝒙→𝟎
 Table 1.2 Table of values for as x approaches 4.

x approaches 4 from the left x approaches 4 from the right

x 3.9 3.99 3.999 3.9999 4 4.0001 4.001 4.01 4.1

f(x) 0.12658 0.12516 0.12502 0.125001 0.125 0.124998 0.12498 0.12484 0.12346

f(x) approaches 0.125 f(x) approaches 0.125

= =

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇 ( 𝒙 ) =𝟎 .𝟏𝟐𝟓
𝒙→𝟒
 The graph of shows that

shows the formal definition of the limit of a function

 Big Idea
Real-life limits are those that
restrict one’s actions. This
means that one cannot always
do what he or she wants. Every
person’s action have restrictions.
Reflect Upon
Give two factors in your life that
you consider as limits to
reaching your dreams. How
does each factor affect your plan
of action.
“If people do not believe that mathematics
is simple, it is only because they do not
realize how complicated life is.”

John von Neumann

 Limits of a Function

Let f be a function defined at every number in some open

interval containing c, except possibly at the number c itself.
If the value of f is arbitrarily close to the number L for all
the values of x sufficiently close to c, then the limit of f(x)
as x approaches c is L. This written as:
lim 𝑓 ( 𝑥 )= 𝐿
𝑥→𝑐
“the limit of f(x), as x approaches to c is L”