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Calculus Cheat Sheet Calculus Cheat Sheet

Limits Evaluation Techniques


Definitions Continuous Functions L’Hospital’s Rule
Precise Definition : We say lim f ( x ) = L if Limit at Infinity : We say lim f ( x ) = L if we If f ( x ) is continuous at a then lim f ( x ) = f ( a ) f ( x) 0 f ( x) ± ¥
x®a x ®¥ x ®a If lim = or lim = then,
x®a g ( x ) 0 x ®a g ( x ) ±¥
for every e > 0 there is a d > 0 such that can make f ( x ) as close to L as we want by
whenever 0 < x - a < d then f ( x ) - L < e . Continuous Functions and Composition f ( x) f ¢( x )
taking x large enough and positive. lim = lim a is a number, ¥ or -¥
f ( x ) is continuous at b and lim g ( x ) = b then x®a g ( x ) x® a g ¢ ( x )
x ®a

“Working” Definition : We say lim f ( x ) = L


x®a
There is a similar definition for lim f ( x ) = L
x ®-¥
x® a
( x ®a
)
lim f ( g ( x ) ) = f lim g ( x ) = f ( b ) Polynomials at Infinity
p ( x ) and q ( x ) are polynomials. To compute
if we can make f ( x ) as close to L as we want except we require x large and negative. Factor and Cancel
p ( x)
by taking x sufficiently close to a (on either side x2 + 4 x - 12 ( x - 2 )( x + 6 ) lim factor largest power of x out of both
Infinite Limit : We say lim f ( x ) = ¥ if we lim = lim x ®± ¥ q ( x)
of a) without letting x = a . x ®a x® 2 x - 2x
2 x ® 2 x ( x - 2)
can make f ( x ) arbitrarily large (and positive) p ( x ) and q ( x ) and then compute limit.
x+6 8
Right hand limit : lim+ f ( x ) = L . This has
x®a
the same definition as the limit except it
by taking x sufficiently close to a (on either side
of a) without letting x = a .
= lim
x® 2 x
Rationalize Numerator/Denominator
= =4
2
lim
3x 2 - 4
= lim
x(
x 2 3 - 42
=
)lim
3 - 42
x
=-
3
requires x > a . 3- x 3- x 3+ x
x ®-¥ 5 x - 2 x 2 x®- ¥ x 2 5 - 2
x ( )
x®- ¥ 5 - 2
x 2
There is a similar definition for lim f ( x ) = -¥ lim 2
x ®9 x - 81
= lim 2
x ®9 x - 81 3 + Piecewise Function
x ®a x
Left hand limit : lim- f ( x ) = L . This has the ì x2 + 5 if x < -2
x ®a except we make f ( x ) arbitrarily large and 9- x -1 lim g ( x ) where g ( x ) = í
= lim = lim
same definition as the limit except it requires
( )
( x 2 - 81) 3 + x x®9 ( x + 9 ) 3 + x ( ) î1 - 3x if x ³ -2
x ®-2
negative. x ®9
x < a. Compute two one sided limits,
Relationship between the limit and one-sided limits -1 1 lim- g ( x ) = lim- x 2 + 5 = 9
= =-
lim f ( x ) = L Þ lim+ f ( x ) = lim- f ( x ) = L lim+ f ( x ) = lim- f ( x ) = L Þ lim f ( x ) = L (18)( 6) 108 x ®-2 x ®-2

lim+ g ( x ) = lim+ 1 - 3x = 7
x®a x®a x ®a x ®a x ®a x®a

lim f ( x ) ¹ lim- f ( x ) Þ lim f ( x ) Does Not Exist Combine Rational Expressions x ®-2 x®-2
x®a + x® a x ®a
1æ 1 1ö 1 æ x - ( x + h) ö One sided limits are different so lim g ( x )
lim ç - ÷ = lim çç ÷÷ x ®-2

è x ( x + h) ø
h ®0 h x + h
Properties è x ø h ®0 h
doesn’t exist. If the two one sided limits had
Assume lim f ( x ) and lim g ( x ) both exist and c is any number then, been equal then lim g ( x ) would have existed
x ®a x® a 1 æ -h ö -1 1 x ®-2
= lim çç ÷ = lim =- 2
f ( x) h ®0 h x ( x + h ) ÷ h ®0 x ( x + h )
1. lim éë cf ( x )ùû = c lim f ( x ) é f ( x ) ù lim è ø x and had the same value.
x® a x® a 4. lim ê ú=
x ®a
provided lim g ( x ) ¹ 0
x ®a g ( x )
û x® a ( x )
lim g x® a
ë
2. lim éë f ( x ) ± g ( x ) ùû = lim f ( x ) ± lim g ( x ) n Some Continuous Functions
5. lim ëé f ( x ) ûù = é lim f ( x ) ù
n
x® a x® a x® a
x ®a ë x ®a û Partial list of continuous functions and the values of x for which they are continuous.
1. Polynomials for all x. 7. cos ( x ) and sin ( x ) for all x.
3. lim ëé f ( x ) g ( x ) ûù = lim f ( x ) lim g ( x ) 6. lim é n f ( x ) ù = n lim f ( x ) 2. Rational function, except for x’s that give
x ®a ë û
x® a x ®a x ®a x ®a
division by zero. 8. tan ( x ) and sec ( x ) provided
Basic Limit Evaluations at ± ¥ 3. n
x (n odd) for all x. 3p p p 3p
x ¹ L , - , - , , ,L
2 2 2 2
Note : sgn ( a ) = 1 if a > 0 and sgn ( a ) = -1 if a < 0 . 4. n
x (n even) for all x ³ 0 .
x 9. cot ( x ) and csc ( x ) provided
1. lim e x = ¥ & lim ex = 0 5. n even : lim xn = ¥ 5. e for all x.
x®¥ x®- ¥ x®±¥ 6. ln x for x > 0 . x ¹ L , -2p , -p , 0, p , 2p ,L
2. lim ln ( x ) = ¥ & lim- ln ( x ) = - ¥ 6. n odd : lim xn = ¥ & lim xn = -¥
x ®¥ x®0 x®¥ x®- ¥
Intermediate Value Theorem
b
3. If r > 0 then lim r = 0 7. n even : lim a x n + L + b x + c = sgn ( a ) ¥ Suppose that f ( x ) is continuous on [a, b] and let M be any number between f ( a ) and f ( b ) .
x®±¥
x ®¥ x
8. n odd : lim a xn + L + b x + c = sgn ( a ) ¥ Then there exists a number c such that a < c < b and f ( c ) = M .
4. If r > 0 and x r is real for negative x x®¥
b
then lim r = 0 9. n odd : lim a x + L + c x + d = - sgn ( a ) ¥
n
x®-¥
x®-¥ x

Visit http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu for a complete set of Calculus notes. © 2005 Paul Dawkins Visit http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu for a complete set of Calculus notes. © 2005 Paul Dawkins

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