L’Hopital’s Rule

Adrian Down 16779577

July 20, 2005

1 Motivation
Comes as a direct consequence of the Mean Value theorem. Useful for
computing limits of the form fg(x)
(x)
where f (x), g(x) → 0. Connected to
0
limx→a fg0 (x)
(x)
. Assume f (a) = g(a) = 0, and you want to compute limx→a fg(x)
(x)
.
Use the mean value theorem to try to approximate the function. As x ap-
proaches a, f (x) should be approximately f (a) + f 0 (y)(x − a). Using the
mean value theorem, we know such a y exists, so f (x) = f (a) + f 0 (y)(x − a)
for some a < y < x. Likewise, g(x) = g(a) + g 0 (z)(x − a) for some a < z < x.
So
f (x) f 0 (y)(x − a) f 0 (y) f 0 (x)
= 0 = 0 ≈ 0
g(x) g (z)(x − a) g (z) f (y)

since y and z approach x as x approaches a. Keep this idea in mind for the
proof.

2 Proof
Theorem (generalized mean value theorem): let f, g be continuous on [a, b],
and differentiable on (a, b). Then ∃x ∈ (a, b) such that f 0 (x) · (g(b) − g(a)) =
g 0 (x)(f (b) − f (a)).
Note: another way to think about this is that if g 0 (x) 6= 0, then

f 0 (x) f (b) − f (a)

0
=
g (x) g(b) − g(a)

1
This is exactly the thing that we want to take the limit of from our heuristic
argument above. Will tell us that we can take y and z to be the same.
Proof: same as the mean value theorem. Make a difference function,
h(x) = f (x)(g(b) − g(a)) − g(x)(f (b) − f (a)). Note that it is differentiable on
(a, b) and continuous on [a, b]. Do computation to get that h(a) = h(b). By
Rolle’s theorem, ∃x ∈ (a, b) such that h0 (x) = 0. Note that the f (a), g(a),
etc. terms in h are constants, so
h0 (x) = f 0 (x)(g(b) − g(a)) − g 0 (x)(f (b) − f (a))
h0 (x) = 0 → f 0 (x)(g(b) − g(a)) = g 0 (x)(f (b) − f (a))
Note that this theorem reduces to the mean value theorem by taking
g(x) = x.
Theorem: let f, g be differentiable functions (on an open interval I con-
0 (x)
taining some point a) such that g 0 is continuous on I and limx→a fg0 (x) ex-
ists is finite, and equals L ∈ R, if limx→a f (x) = limx→a g(x) = 0, then
limx→a fg(x)
(x)
= L.
Note: we need the fact that g 0 (x) 6= 0 in some area close to a.
Proof: let  > 0. Can take g 0 6= 0 on I by shrinking I if necessary → g 0 is
strictly increasing or strictly decreasing → g 0 is invertible on I → g 0 (x) = 0
for at most 1 x ∈ I. Shrink I so that g 6= 0 on I. The lesson is that if there
could be problems on our interval, we can shrink it to a safe area since we’re
taking the limit.
Let K ∈ R such that L < K < L+. Want to get the quotient between L
f 0 (x) f 0 (x)
and K. limx→a g0 (x) = L → ∃α > 0 such that a < x < α → g0 (x) < K (taking
 = K −L in the definition of the limit). If a < x < y < α → ∃z ∈ (x, y) such
0 (z)
that fg(x)−g(y)
(x)−f (y)
= fg0 (z) by the generalized mean value theorem → fg(x)−g(y)
(x)−f (y)
<K
because a < z < α.
Now take the limit as x approaches a with y fixed. Then
f (x) − f (y)
lim+ ≤K
x→a g(x) − g(y)
but as x approaches a, lim f (x) = lim g(x) = 0, so fg(y)
(y)
≤ K.
Aside: limx→a+ f (x) = L → ∀ > 0, ∃δ > 0 such that a < x < a + δ →
|f (x) − L| < .
So fg(y)
(y)
≤ K < L +  is true ∀y ∈ (a, α). Halfway to making our limit.
Similarly, ∃β such that β < y < a → fg(y)
(y)
> L −  by taking L −  < K < L
and using the same argument as before.

2
 f (x)
Take δ = min{α − a, a − β}, so if 0 < |x − a| < δ → g(x)
< L +  and
f (x)
g(x)
> L − , so | fg(x)
(x)
− L| < 
Key idea is just applying the mean value theorem to go from the ratio of
quantities to a ratio of derivatives, and then using the fact that limx→a f (x) =
limx→a g(x) = 0.
Notes: 1) If limx→a f (x) = limx→a g(x) = ∞, then the theorem still holds
2) Can also consider limx→∞ or limx→−∞ or limx→a+ or limx→a− .
3) 00 is called an indeterminate form, as is ∞
∞
. Others are 0·∞, 00 . L’Hopital’s
rule applies to all of these.
4)L’Hopital’s rule is NOT applicable to ∞ 0
.

3 Examples
1) limx→0 cosxx−1
2 = limx→0 − 2x
sin x
= limx→0 − cos
2
x
= − 12 .
2
2) limx→∞ xex = limx→∞ 2xex
= limx→∞ e2x = 0.
1
ln x
3) limx→0+ x · ln x = limx→0+ 1 = limx→0+ x
−1 = limx→0+ −x = 0
x x2
4) limx→0 xx = limx→0+ ex ln x . Because ex is continuous, take the limit of
the exponent separately. From the last example, it is 0. Thus the given limit
is e0 = 1. 1
1 1
5) limx→∞ x x = limx→∞ e x ln x . limx→∞ x1 ln x = limx→∞ 1x = 0
1 ln(1+ x1 )
6) limx→∞ (1+ x1 )x = limx→∞ ex ln(1+ x ) . limx→∞ x·ln(1+ x1 ) = limx→∞ 1 =
x
1 −1
1 ( x2 )
1+ x
limx→∞ ( −1
x2 )
x−ex +1 1−ex −ex
7) limx→0 ( ex1−1 − x1 ) = limx→0 x(ex −1)
= limx→0 xex +ex +1
= limx→0 xex +2ex
=
−1
2
Useful for functions that get simpler or stay the same when differentiated.
Useful for polynomials, trig functions, and exponentials.
Note: limx→a f (x) = +∞ → ∀M, ∃δ such that 0 < |x−a| < δ → |f (x)| >
M.