You are on page 1of 4

Limits of Trigonometric Functions

Several examples with detailed solutions and exercises with


answers are presented.
Example 1: Find the limit
limx0 (1 - cos x) / x
Solution to Example 1:
Let us multiply the numerator and denominator of (1 - cos x) / x
by (1 + cos x) and write
limx0 (1 - cos x) / x
= limx0 [ (1 - cos x) / x ] *[ (1 + cos x) / (1 + cos x) ]
The numerator becomes 1 - cos

x = sin

x, hence

limx0 (1 - cos x) / x
= limx0 [ (sin

x) / x ] *[ 1/ (1 + cos x) ]

The limit can be written


limx0 (1 - cos x) / x
= limx0 [ (sin x) / x ] * limx0 [ sin x / (1 + cos x) ] = (1)
(0/2) = 0
We have used the theorem: limx0 [ (sin x) / x ] = 1

Example 2: Find the limit limx0 sin 4 x / 4 x


Solution to Example 2:

Let t = 4x. When x approaches 0, t = 4x approaches 0, so that

limx0 sin 4 x / 4 x = limt0 sin t / t


We now use the theorem: limt0 sin t / t = 1 to find the limit
Find the limit limx0 sin 4 x / 4 x = limt0 sin t / t = 1
Example 3: Find the limit limx0 sin 6 x / 5 x
Solution to Example 3:

Let t = 6 x or x = t / 6. When x approaches 0, t = 6 x approaches


0, so that
limx0 sin 6 x / 5 x = limt0 sin t / (5 t / 6)
= limt0 (6 / 5) sin t / t
= (6 / 5) limt0 sin t / t
= (6 / 5) * 1 = 6 / 5

Example 4:
Find the limit limx-3 sin (x + 3) / (x

+7x + 12)

Solution to Example 4:
If we apply the theorem of the limit of the quotient of two
functions, we will get the indeterminate form 0 / 0. We need to
find another way. For x = -3, the denominator is equal to zero
and therefore may be factorized, hence
limx-3 sin (x + 3) / (x

+7x + 12)

= limx-3 sin (x + 3) / (x + 3)(x + 4)


Let t = x + 3 or x = t - 3. As x approaches -3, t approaches 0.
limx-3 sin (x + 3) / (x

+7x + 12)

= limx-3 sin (x + 3) / (x + 3)(x + 4)

= limt0 sin t / [ t (t + 1) ]
We now apply the theorem of the limit of the product of two
functions.
= limt0 sin t / t * limt0 1 / (t + 1)
= (1)*(1) = 1
Example 5: Find the limit limx0 sin | x | / x
Solution to Example 5:
We shall find the limit as x approaches 0 from the left and as x
approaches 0 from the right. For x < 0, | x | = -x
limx0

= limx0

sin | x | / x
-

= - limx0

sin (- x ) / x
-

sin ( x ) / x

= -1
For x > 0, | x | = x
limx0

= limx0

sin | x | / x
+

sin x / x

= 1
The two limits from the left and from the right are different,
therefore the above limit does not exist.
limx0 sin | x | / x does not exist
Example 6: Find the limit limx0 x / tan x
Solution to Example 6:

We first use the trigonometric identity tan x = sin x / cos x


= -1

limx0 x / tan x
= limx0 x / (sin x / cos x)
= limx0 x cos x / sin x
= limx0 cos x / (sin x / x)
We now use the theorem of the limit of the quotient.
= [ limx0 cos x ] / [ limx0 sin x / x ] = 1 / 1 = 1
Example 7: Find the limit limx0 x csc x
Solution to Example 7:
We first use the trigonometric identity csc x = 1 / sin x
limx0 x csc x
= limx0 x / sin x
= limx0 1 / (sin x / x)
The limit of the quotient is used.
= 1 / 1 = 1

You might also like