2.

2 Limits Involving Infinity

Greg Kelly, Hanford High School, Richland, Washington Photo by Vickie Kelly, 2006
North Dakota Sunset
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
-4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4
( )
1
f x
x
=
1
lim 0
x
x

=
As the denominator gets larger, the value of the fraction
gets smaller.
There is a horizontal asymptote if:
( )
lim
x
f x b

=
or ( )
lim
x
f x b

2
lim
1
x
x
x

+
Example 1:
2
lim
x
x
x

=
This number becomes insignificant as . x
lim
x
x
x

=
1 =
There is a horizontal asymptote at 1.

-2
-1
0
1
2
-12 -10 -8 -6 -4 -2 2 4 6 8 10 12
( )
sin x
f x
x
=
Example 2:

sin
lim
x
x
x

Find:
When we graph this
function, the limit appears
to be zero.
1 sin 1 x s s
so for : 0 x >
1 sin 1 x
x x x

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

s s
sin
0 lim 0
x
x
x

s s
by the sandwich
theorem:
sin
lim 0
x
x
x

=
Example 3:
5 sin
lim
x
x x
x

+
Find:
5 sin
lim
x
x x
x x

| |
+
|
\ .
sin
lim5 lim
x x
x
x

+
5 0 +
5

Infinite Limits:
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
-4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4
( )
1
f x
x
=
0
1
lim
x
x
+

=
As the denominator approaches
zero, the value of the fraction gets
very large.
If the denominator is positive then the
fraction is positive.
0
1
lim
x
x

=
If the denominator is negative then
the fraction is negative.
vertical
asymptote
at x=0.

Example 4:
2
0
1
lim
x
x
+

2
0
1
lim
x
x

=
The denominator is positive
in both cases, so the limit is
the same.
2
0
1
lim
x
x

=
End Behavior Models:
End behavior models model the behavior of a function as
x approaches infinity or negative infinity.
A function g is:
a right end behavior model for f if and only if
( )
( )
lim 1
x
f x
g x

=
a left end behavior model for f if and only if
( )
( )
lim 1
x
f x
g x

Test of
model
Our model
is correct.
( )
x
f x x e

= +
Example 7:
As , approaches zero.
x
x
e

(The x term dominates.)

( )
g x x = becomes a right-end behavior model.
lim
x
x
x e
x

+
lim1
x
x
e
x

= + 1 0 = +
1 =
( )
x
h x e

= becomes a left-end behavior model.

lim
x
x
x
x e
e

+
lim 1
x
x
x
e

= +
0 1 = + 1 =
As , increases faster than x decreases,
x
x
e

therefore is dominant.
x
e

Test of
model
Our model
is correct.
( )
x
f x x e

= +
Example 7:
( )
g x x = becomes a right-end behavior model.
( )
x
h x e

= becomes a left-end behavior model.

On your calculator, graph:
1
2
3
x
x
y x
y e
y x e

=
=
= +
10 10 x s s
1 9 y s s
Use:

( )
5 4 2
2
2 1
3 5 7
x x x
f x
x x
+ +
=
+
Example 7:
Right-end behavior models give us:
5
2
2
3
x
x
3
2
3
x
=
dominant terms in numerator and denominator

Often you can just think through limits.

1
lim sin
x
x

| |
|
\ .
0
0
lim sin
x
x

=
0 =
t