Guillaume De l'Hpital

1661 - 1704
LHpitals

Rule
Actually, LHpitals Rule was
developed by his teacher
Johann Bernoulli. De lHpital

paid Bernoulli for private
lessons, and then published the
first Calculus book based on
those lessons.
Johann Bernoulli
1667 - 1748
LHpitals

Rule
Zero divided by zero can not be evaluated, and is an
example of an indeterminate form.
2
2
4
lim
2
x
x
x

Consider:
If we try to evaluate this by direct substitution, we get:
0
0
In this case, we can evaluate this limit by factoring and
canceling:
2
2
4
lim
2
x
x
x

( )( )
2
2 2
lim
2
x
x x
x

+
=

( )
2
lim 2
x
x

= +
4 =
If we zoom in far enough,
the curves will appear as
straight lines.
2
2
4
lim
2
x
x
x

The limit is the ratio of the numerator

to the denominator

as
x approaches 2.
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
-3 -2 -1 1 2 3
x
2
4 x
2 x
-0.05
0
0.05
1.95 2 2.05
x
( )
( )
lim
x a
f x
g x

2
2
4
lim
2
x
x
x

( )
( )
lim
x a
f x
g x

-0.05
0
0.05
1.95 2 2.05
x
( )
f x
( )
g x
( )
( )
f x
g x
As
2 x
becomes:
2
2
4
lim
2
x
x
x

( )
( )
lim
x a
f x
g x

-0.05
0
0.05
1.95 2 2.05
x
As
2 x
( )
( )
f x
g x
becomes:
df
dg
df
dg
dx
dx
df
x
dg
d
=
2
2
4
lim
2
x
x
x

( )
( )
lim
x a
f x
g x

( )
( )
2
2
4
lim
2
x
d
x
dx
d
x
dx

2
2
lim
1
x
x

=
4 =
LHpitals Rule:
If is indeterminate, then:
( )
( )
lim
x a
f x
g x

( )
( )
( )
( )
lim lim
x a x a
f x f x
g x g x

'
=
'
We can confirm LHpitals rule by working backwards, and
using the definition of derivative:
( )
( )
f a
g a
'
'
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
lim
lim
x a
x a
f x f a
x a
g x g a
x a

( ) ( )
( ) ( )
lim
x a
f x f a
x a
g x g a
x a

( ) ( )
( ) ( )
lim
x a
f x f a
g x g a

( )
( )
0
lim
0
x a
f x
g x

( )
( )
lim
x a
f x
g x

=
Let f and g be defined on an interval where f(x) 0 and
g(x) 0 as x a, but tends to a finite limit L.
( )
( ) x g
x f
Example:
2
0
1 cos
lim
x
x
x x

+
0
sin
lim
1 2
x
x
x

=
+
0 =
If its no longer
indeterminate, then
STOP!
If we try to continue with LHpitals rule:
0
sin
lim
1 2
x
x
x

=
+
0
cos
lim
2
x
x

=
1
2
=
which is wrong,
wrong, wrong!
On the other hand, you can apply LHpitals rule as
many times as necessary as long as the fraction is still
indeterminate:
2
0
1 1
2
lim
x
x
x
x

+
( )
1
2
0
1 1
1
2 2
lim
2
x
x
x

+
=
0
0
0
0
0
0
not
( )
1
2
2
0
1
1 1
2
lim
x
x x
x

+
( )
3
2
0
1
1
4
lim
2
x
x

+
=
1
4
2

=
1
8
=
(Rewritten in
exponential
form.)

When applying LHpitals

Rule, one has to differentiate the
numerator and the denominator separately.
A common mistake is to differentiate the whole expression f(x) / g(x)

This leads to tedious, unnecessary, and, most importantly,
wrong computations.
Correct calculation:
2
1
2 cos 2
lim
2 sin
lim
2 sin
lim
0 0 0
= = =

x
x
dx
d
x
dx
d
x
x
x x x
Incorrect calculation:
????
2 sin 2 cos 2
lim
2 sin
lim
2
0 0
=

=

x
x x x
x
x
x x
LHpitals rule can be used to evaluate other indeterminate
0
0
forms besides .
The following are also considered indeterminate:

0

1

0
0
0

The first one, , can be evaluated just like .

0
0
The others must be changed to fractions first.
What makes an expression indeterminate?

lim
1000
x
x

=
Consider:
We can hold one part of the expression constant:
1000
lim 0
x
x

=
There are conflicting trends here. The actual limit
will depend on the rates at which the numerator and
denominator approach infinity, so we say that an
expression in this form is indeterminate.
Lets look at another one:
0

0
lim1000 1
x
x
=
Consider:
We can hold one part of the expression constant:
0.1
lim
x
x

=
Once again, we have conflicting trends, so this form
is indeterminate.
0.1
lim 0
x
x

=
Here is an expression that looks like it might be
indeterminate :
0

( )
lim .1 0
x
x
=
Consider:
We can hold one part of the expression constant:
( )
lim .1 0
x
x
=
The limit is zero any way you look at it, so the
expression is not

indeterminate.
1000
0
lim 0
x
x

=
Finally, here is an expression that looks like it
should NOT be indeterminate :
We can hold one part of the expression constant:
Consider:

1
( ) ( )
46
1000
41
1000
1000 1000 1000
-
10 1.75 9 . 0 ; 10 2.47 1 . 1
:
0
1
lim ; 1 1 ;
1
lim
= =
=

= =
+

ex
x
x
x
x
Once again, we have conflicting trends, so this form is
indeterminate.
Here is the standard list of indeterminate forms:

0

1

0
0
0

0
0
There are other indeterminate forms using complex
numbers, but those are beyond the scope of this class.
Example
x 1
1 1
x 1 1
Let's return to our former example: lim
1
1. Check to see if L'Hopital's rule applies:
lim( ) 0 and lim( 1) 0
L'Hopital's rule does apply.
( )
lim lim lim
1
( 1)
x
x
x x
x
x
x
e e
x
Step
e e x
d
e e
e e
dx
d
x
x
dx

= =

= =

1
1
x
x
e
e

=
a
Example:
1
lim
1
lim
1
lim
2
2
2
2
2
+
=
+
=
+

x
x
x
x
x
x
x x x
1
lim
2
+

x
x
x
;
1
lim
1
lim
2
2
2
2
+
=
+

x
x
x
x
x x
Determine the limit:
Rewrite:
Use the Power Law: The limit of a functions positive integer
power is the power of the functions limit:
OR Ratio of the leading powers:
( )
1
1
lim
1
lim
2
2
2
2
=
+
=
+

x
dx
d
x
dx
d
x
x
x x
1
1 1
1
lim
1
lim
2
2
2
2
=
+
=
+

x
x
x
x
x x
1
lim sin
x
x
x

| |
|
\ .
This approaches
0
0
1
sin
lim
1
x
x
x

This approaches
0
We already know that
0
sin
lim 1
x
x
x

| |
=
|
\ .
but if we want to use LHpitals rule:
2
2
1 1
cos
lim
1
x
x x
x

| | | |

| |
\ . \ .
=

1
sin
lim
1
x
x
x

1
limcos
x
x

| |
=
|
\ .
( )
cos 0 =
1 =
1
1 1
lim
ln 1
x
x x

| |

\ .
If we find a common denominator and subtract, we get:
( )
1
1 ln
lim
1 ln
x
x x
x x

| |

|
|

\ .
Now it is in the form
0
0
This is indeterminate form
1
1
1
lim
1
ln
x
x
x
x
x

| |

|
|

|
+
|
\ .
LHpitals rule applied once.
0
0
Fractions cleared. Still
1
1
lim
1 ln
x
x
x x x

| |
|
+
\ .
1
1 1
lim
ln 1
x
x x

| |

\ .
( )
1
1 ln
lim
1 ln
x
x x
x x

| |

|
|

\ .
1
1
1
lim
1
ln
x
x
x
x
x

| |

|
|

|
+
|
\ .
1
1
lim
1 1 ln
x
x

| |
|
+ +
\ .
LHpital

again.
1
2
1
1
lim
1 ln
x
x
x x x

| |
|
+
\ .
Cautionary Example
1
1 1
1
ln
Example: Evaluate lim
Step 1. Check to see if L'Hopital/s rule applies:
limln ln1 0 but lim 1 0
L'Hopital's Rule does not apply.
Use the quotient property for limits instead:
lim
ln
lim
x
x x
x
x
x
x
x x
x
x

= = = =
=
1
1
ln
0
0
lim 1
Using L'Hopital's Rule would have given us
an incorrect result.
x
x
x

= =
Indeterminate Forms:
1

0
0
0

Evaluating these forms requires a mathematical trick to

change the expression into a fraction.
ln ln
n
u n u =
When we take the log of an exponential function,
the exponent can be moved out front.
ln
1
u
n
=
We can then write the
expression as a fraction,
which allows us to use
LHpitals

rule.
( )
lim
x a
f x

( )
( )
ln lim
x a
f x
e

=
( ) ( )
limln
x a
f x
e

=
We can take the log of the function as long
as we exponentiate

at the same time.
Then move the
limit notation
outside of the log.
Indeterminate Forms:
1

0
0
0

1/
lim
x
x
x

( )
1/
limln
x
x
x
e

( )
1
lim ln
x
x
x
e

( )
ln
lim
x
x
x
e

1

lim
1
x
x
e

0
e
1
0

LHpital
applied
t
Example: