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OF
FUNCTIONS
LIMITS OF FUNCTIONS
OBJECTIVES:
define limits;
illustrate limits and its theorems;
and
evaluate limits applying the given
theorems.
define one-sided limits
illustrate one-sided limits
investigate the limit if it exist or
not using the concept of one-
sided limits.
define limits at infinity;
DEFINITION: LIMITS
The most basic use of limits is to
describe how a
function behaves as the independent
variable f(x) x x1
2
f(x)
y x2 x 1
f(x)
x
O
2
x 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 2 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.1
5 9 95 99 01 05 1 5
F(x) 2.71 2.85 2.97 2.98 2.99 3.00 3.01 3.03 3.15 3.31
2 5 7 3 5 1 2
left side right side
This leads us to the following general
Example 2.
If f x x, then x a it must also be true that f x a .
For example,
lim x 0 lim x 2 lim x
x 0 x -2 x
The following theorem will be our
basic tool for finding limits
algebraically.
2 lim x lim 5 6( 3 ) 12
x 4 x 4
18 - 12
2( 4 ) 5
6
85
13
3. lim 4 x ( 5 x 2 ) lim 4 x lim 5 x 2
x 3 x 3 x 3
x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3
4 3 5( 3 ) 2
1 13
13
2x 8x 1
4. lim
x 5 5 x 4 6. lim
x 1 x3
lim 2 x 2 lim x
x 5
x 5
8x 1
lim 5 x lim 4 5 lim x lim 4 lim
x 5 x 5 x 5 x 5 x 1 x 3
2 5 10
9 3
25 4 21
4 2
x 3
3
5. lim 3 x 6 lim 3 x 6 3
x 3
3
lim 3 x lim 6
x 3 x 3
3
3 lim x lim 6
x 3 x 3
3 3 6 15
3 3
3375
OR
When evaluating the limit of a
function at a given value, simply
replace the variable by the
indicated limit then solve for the
value of the function:
x 3
2
lim 3 x 4 x 1 3 3 4 3 1
2
27 12 1
38
EXAMPLE:Evaluate the following
x 8 limits.
3
1. lim
x 2 x2
Solution:
x 3 8 2 8 8 8 0
3
lim (indeterminate)
x 2 x 2 22 0 0
Equivalent function:
2
x 2 x
2x 4
lim
x 2 x2
lim x 2 2 x 4
x 2
2 2 2 4
2
4 4 4 12
x3 8
lim 12
x 2 x 2
Note: In evaluating a limit of a quotient
0
which reduces to , simplify the
0
fraction. Just remove
0
the common factor in the numerator and
0
denominator which makes the quotient
.
To do this use factoring or rationalizing
the numerator or denominator, wherever
the radical is.
x2 2
2. lim
x 0 x
Solution:
x2 2 02 2 0
lim (indeterminate)
x 0 x 0 0
x2 2 2
lim
x 0 x 4
8 x 3 27
3. lim
x
3 4 x2 9
2
Solution: 3
3
8 27
8 x 3 27 2 27 27 0
lim3 (indeterminate)
x 2 4x 9
2
3
2
99 0
4 9
2
By Factoring: 2
3 3
9
lim
4
2 x 3 4 x 6 x 9 lim 4 x 6 x 9 2
2 2 6
2
x
3 2 x 3 2 x 3 x
3 2 x 3 3
2 2 2 3
2
999 27 9 3 3 2
33 6 2 2 2
8 x 3 27 3 2
lim
x
3 4x 9
2
2
2
x3 2x 3
4. lim
x2 x2 5
Solution:
2 2 2 3
3
x 2x 3
3
lim
x 5 2 5
x 2 2 2
843
45
15
9
15
3
x3 2 x 3 15
lim
x2 x 5
2
3
DEFINITION: One-Sided Limi
The limit of a function is called two-
sided limit if it requires the values of
f(x) to get closer and closer to a number
as the values of x are taken from either
side of x=a. However some functions
exhibit different behaviors on the two
sides of an x-value a in which case it is
necessary to distinguish whether the
values of x near a are on the left side or
on the right side of a for purposes of
investigating limiting behavior.
x 1, x0
Consider the f(x)
x 1, x0
function
1 x x
since the lim lim
xo x xo x
SOLUTION
a . lim g ( x ) lim 6 x b. lim g( x ) lim x 2
x 2 x 2
x 2 x 2
- 2
2
6 2
4 4
since the limg(x) limg(x)
x 2 x 2
x
-6 -2 4
EXAMPLE:
ind if the two-sided limit exists and sketch the graph
3 + x 2 if x < -2
of f (x) = 0 if x = -2 and sketch the grap
11 - x 2 if x > -2
SOLUTION
a . lim f ( x ) lim 3 x 2 b. lim f ( x ) lim 11 x 2
x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2
3 2 11 - 2
2 2
7 7
sin ce the lim f ( x ) lim f ( x )
x 2 x 2
andsketchthegraph.
SOLUTION
a . lim f ( x ) lim 3 2 x 4 b. lim f ( x ) lim 3 2 x 4
x2 x2 x2 x2
3 2 2 4 3 2 2 4
3 3
(2,3)
x
2
DEFINITION: LIMITS AT INFINITY
If the values of the variable x increase
without bound, then x we
write ,
x
and if the values of x decrease without
bound, then we write f ( x ) .
The behavior of a function as x
increases or decreases without bound is
sometimes called the end behavior of
the function.
For example ,
1 1
lim 0 and lim 0
x x x x
x
1 1
lim 0 lim 0
x x x x
In general, we will use the following notation
x
1
lim 1 e
x
x
5x3 2x2 1
3. lim
x
1 3x
x2 2
4. lim
x
3x 6
EXERCISES:
A. Evaluate the following
3x 1
1. lim 4 x 5 x 2
limits. 2
6. lim 2
x 3 1 9x 1
x
3
2x 1 2x 3 3x 2 2x 3
2. lim 2 7. lim
x 1 x 3 x 4 x 1 x2 1
x 2 3x 4 y 1 y 2 2 y 3
3. lim 8. lim
x 1 x3 1 y 1 y2 2y 1
1
4 y3 8 y
3 1
4. lim 9. lim 2 x 4 9 x 3 19 2
y 2
y4 x 5
x3 8 w2 7 w 7
5. lim 10. lim 2
x 2 x 2 w 1 w 4 w 5
EXERCISES:
B. Sketch the graph of the following
.
2 x 3 if x1
2. g ( x ) 2 if x1
7 - 2x if x1
a . lim g(x) b. lim g(x) c.lim g( x )
x 1 x 1 x 1
.
x if x 0
3. f ( x )
3 if x 0
a . lim f(x) b. lim f(x) c.lim f ( x )
x 0 x 0 x 0
4. g ( x ) 4 x
a. lim f(x) b. lim f(x) c.lim f ( x )
x 4 x 4 x 4
5. g ( x ) 2 x 1
a. lim f(x) b. lim f(x) c. lim f ( x )
1 1 1
x x x
2 2 2