Solutions to Worksheet for Section 2.

5
Limits at Infinity
Math 1a
October 10, 2007

1. Sketch the graph of a function f that satisfies all of these:

• lim f (x) = −∞ • lim f (x) = 0 • lim− f (x) = −∞

x→2 x→−∞ x→0

• lim f (x) = ∞ • lim+ f (x) = ∞

x→∞ x→0

Solution. Here is one:

Find the limits.
2−x
2. lim
x→1 (x − 1)2

Solution. As x → 1, the numerator tends to 1, while the denominator tends to zero while
remaining positive. So the quotient consists of increasingly large positive numbers, hence
tends to ∞.

3. lim− cot x
x→π

cos x
Solution. Remember that cot x is . As x → π but x < π, then cos x → −1 while
sin x
sin x → 0, but remains positive. So the quotients are large and negative, hence tend to
−∞.

x3 + 5x
4. lim
x→∞ 2x3 − x2 + 4

Solution.
x3 + 5x 3
x
 (1 + 5/x)
lim = lim 3
x→∞ 2x3 − x2 + 4 x→∞ x(2 − 1/x + 4/x3 )
1
=
2

t2 + 2
5. lim
t→−∞ t3 + t2 − 1

Solution.
t2 + 2 t2 (1 + 2/t2 )
lim = lim 3
t→−∞ t3 2
+ t − 1 t→∞ t (1 + 1/t − 1/t3
1 1 + 2/t2
= lim · lim
t→∞ t t→∞ 1 + 1/t − 1/t3

= 0 · 1 = 0.
 p 
6. lim 9x2 + x − 3x
x→∞

Solution. Multiply by the conjugate radical:

p  √9x2 + x + 3x x
lim 9x + x − 3x · √
2 = lim √
x→∞ 2 2
9x + x + 3x x→∞ 9x + x + 3x
1
= lim p
x→∞ 9 + 1/x + 3
1 1
=√ =
9+3 6

√

7. lim x − x
x→∞

Solution. Same manipulation:

√
√
x+ x x2 − x
lim x − x · √ = lim √
x→∞ x + x x→∞ x + x
x2 (1 − x−1 )
= lim
x→∞ x(1 + x−1/2 )

1 − x−1
= lim x · lim =∞·1=∞
x→∞ x→∞ 1 + x−1/2

sin2 x
8. lim
x→∞ x2

Solution. We can use a version of the squeeze theorem. Notice that

sin2 x 1
0≤ ≤ 2
x2 x
1 sin2 x
for all x. Since → 0 as x → ∞, lim = 0.
x2 x→∞ x2
9. Consider the function √
2x2 + 1
f (x) =
3x − 5
Sketch the graph (without using your calculator) by finding all its asymptotes and filling it in.
Solution. We can show:
√
lim + f (x) = +∞ lim f (x) = 2/3
x→5/3 x→∞
√
lim − f (x) = −∞ lim f (x) = − 2/3
x→5/3 x→∞

So we can sketch in at lest this much of the graph:

It turns out the graph is a little√ bit more complicated; it makes a “hump” on the negative branch
and as x → ∞ it approaches − 2/3 from above. But we can see at least this much with the limits
alone.