Lecture 4 : Calculating Limits using Limit Laws Using the denition of the limit, limxa f (x), we can derive

many general laws of limits, that help us to calculate limits quickly and easily. The following rules apply to any functions f (x) and g (x) and also apply to left and right sided limits: Suppose that c is a constant and the limits
xa

lim f (x)

and

xa

lim g (x)

exist (meaning they are nite numbers). Then 1. limxa [f (x) + g (x)] = limxa f (x) + limxa g (x) ; (the limit of a sum is the sum of the limits). 2. limxa [f (x) g (x)] = limxa f (x) limxa g (x) ; (the limit of a dierence is the dierence of the limits). 3. limxa [cf (x)] = c limxa f (x); (the limit of a constant times a function is the constant times the limit of the function). 4. limxa [f (x)g (x)] = limxa f (x) limxa g (x); (The limit of a product is the product of the limits).
(x) xa f (x) = lim if limxa g (x) = 0; 5. limxa f g (x) limxa g (x) (the limit of a quotient is the quotient of the limits provided that the limit of the denominator is not 0)

Example

If I am given that
x2

lim f (x) = 2,

x2

lim g (x) = 5,

x 2

lim h(x) = 0.

nd the limits that exist (are a nite number): (a) lim 2f (x) + h(x) limx2 (2f (x) + h(x)) = since lim =0 x2 x 2 g ( x) limx2 g (x) = 2(2) + 0 4 2 limx2 f (x) + limx2 h(x) = = limx2 g (x) 5 5 f (x) x2 h(x) (c) lim f (x)h(x) x2 g (x)

(b) lim

Note 1 If limxa g (x) = 0 and limxa f (x) = b, where b is a nite number with b = 0, Then: (x) the values of the quotient f can be made arbitrarily large in absolute value as x a and thus g (x) 1

the limit does not exist. (x) If the values of f are positive as x a in the above situation, then limxa g (x)

(x) If the values of f are negative as x a in the above situation, then g (x) If on the other hand limxa g (x) = 0 = limxa f (x), we cannot make any conclusions about the limit.

f (x) = , g (x) (x) limxa f = , g (x)

More powerful laws of limits can be derived using the above laws 1-5 and our knowledge of some basic functions. The following can be proven reasonably easily ( we are still assuming that c is a constant and limxa f (x) exists ); 6. limxa [f (x)]n = limxa f (x) , where n is a positive integer (we see this using rule 4 repeatedly). 7. limxa c = c, where c is a constant ( easy to prove from denition of limit and easy to see from the graph, y = c). 8. limxa x = a, (follows easily from the denition of limit) 9. limxa xn = an where n is a positive integer (this follows from rules 6 and 8). 10. limxa n x = n a, where n is a positive integer and a > 0 if n is even. (proof needs a little extra work and the binomial theorem) 11. limxa n f (x) = n limxa f (x) assuming that the limxa f (x) > 0 if n is even. (We will look at this in more detail when we get to continuity) Example Evaluate the following limits and justify each step: (a) limx3
x3 +2x2 x+1 x1 n

(b)

limx1

x+1

(c) Determine the innite limit (see note 1 above, say if the limit is , or D.N.E.) +1 limx2 (x . x2)

Polynomial and Rational Functions Direct Substitution Property If f is a polynomial or a rational function and a is in the domain of f , then limxa f (x) = f (a). This follows easily from the rules shown above. (Note that this is the case in part (a) of the example above) if f (x) =
P (x) Q(x)

is a rational function where P (x) and Q(x) are polynomials with Q(a) = 0, then:

P (x) If P (a) = 0, we see from note 1 above that limxa Q = or D.N.E. and is not equal to . (x) If P (a) = 0 we can cancel a factor of the polynomial P (x) with a factor of the polynomial Q(x) and the resulting rational function may have a nite limit or an innite limit or no limit at x = a. P ( x) by the following observation which The limit of the new quotient as x a is equal to limxa Q (x) we made in the last lecture:

Note 2: If h(x) = g (x) when x = a, then limxa h(x) = limxa g (x) provided the limits exist. Example to : (a) limx3 Determine if the following limits are nite, equal to or D.N.E. and are not equal
x2 9 . x3

(b)

limx1

x2 x6 . x1

(c)

limx1

x2 x6 . x1

Example

Evaluate the limit (3 + h)2 (3)2 . h0 h lim 3

Example

Evaluate the following limit:

lim

x2 + 25 5 . x2

Recall also our observation from the last day which can be proven rigorously from the denition (this is good to keep in mind when dealing with piecewise dened functions): Theorm limxa f (x) = L if and only if limxa f (x) = L = limxa+ f (x).

Example Evaluate the limit if it exists:

lim

3x + 6 |x + 2|

The following theorems help us calculate some important limits by comparing the behavior of a function with that of other functions for which we can calculate limits: Theorem If f (x) g (x) when x is near a(except possible at a) and the limits of f (x) and g (x) both exist as x approaches a, then
x a

lim f (x) lim g (x).

The Sandwich (squeeze) Theorem If f (x) g (x) h(x) when x is near a (except possibly at a) and lim f (x) = lim h(x) = L
xa xa

then
xa

lim g (x) = L.

Recall last day, we saw that limx0 sin(1/x) does not exist because of how the function oscillates near x = 0. However we can see from the graph below and the above theorem that 4

limx0 x2 sin(1/x) = 0, since the graph of the function is sandwiched between y = x2 and 1 y = x2 :

0.5

K 1

K 0.5

0.5 x

K 0.5

1 . K1 Example Calculate the limit limx0 x2 sin x We have 1 sin(1/x) 1 O for all x, multiplying across by x2 (which is positive), we get x2 x2 sin(1/x) x2 for all x, Using the Sandwich theorem, we get

0 = lim x2 lim x2 sin(1/x) lim x2 = 0

Hence we can conclude that

lim x2 sin(1/x) = 0.

Example

Decide if the following limit exists and if so nd its values:

limxo x100 cos2 (/x)

Extra Examples, attempt the problems before looking at the solutions Decide if the following limits exist and if a limit exists, nd its value. (1) limx1 x4 + 2x3 + x2 + 3

(2) limx2

x2 3x+2 . (x2)2

1 (3) limx0 ( x

1 ). |x |

(4) limx0

| x| . x2 +x+10

(5) limh0

4+h2 . h

(6) If 2x g (x) x2 x + 2 for all x, evaluate limx1 g (x).

(7) Determine if the following limit is nite, or D.N.E. and is not . lim (x 3)(x + 2) . (x 1)(x 2)

x1

Extra Examples, attempt the problems before looking at the solutions Decide if the following limits exist and if a limit exists, nd its value. (1) limx1 x4 + 2x3 + x2 + 3 Since this is a polynomial function, we can calculate the limit by direct substitution:
x1

lim x4 + 2x3 + x2 + 3 = 14 + 2(1)3 + 12 + 3 = 7.

(2) limx2

x2 3x+2 . (x2)2

This is a rational function, where both numerator and denominator approach 0 as x approaches 2. We factor the numerator to get x2 3x + 2 (x 1)(x 2) = lim 2 x 2 x2 (x 2) (x 2)2 lim After cancellation, we get (x 1)(x 2) (x 1) = lim . x2 x2 (x 2) (x 2)2 lim Now this is a rational function where the numerator approaches 1 as x 2 and the denominator approaches 0 as x 2. Therefore (x 1) lim x2 (x 2) does not exist. We can analyze this limit a little further, by checking out the left and right hand limits at 2. As x approaches 2 from the left, the values of (x 1) are positive (approaching a constant 1) and (x1) the values of (x 2) are negative ( approaching 0). Therefore the values of ( are negative and x2) become very large in absolute value. Therefore lim (x 1) = . (x 2) (x 1) = +, (x 2)

x2

Similarly, you can show that

lim

x1) and therefore the graph of y = ( has a vertical asymptote at x = 2. (x2) (check it out on your calculator) 1 (3) limx0 ( x 1 ). |x |

Let f (x) =

1 x

1 . | x|

We write this function as a piecewise dened function: 1 1 x>0 xx =0 f ( x) = . 1 1 2 +x=x x0 x 7

1 1 limx0 ( x |x ) exists only if the left and right hand limits exist and are equal. | 1 1 1 1 2 limx0+ ( x |x| ) = limx0+ 0 = 0 and limx0 ( x |x ) = limx0 x = . | Since the limits do not match, we have

1 1 ) D.N.E. lim ( x0 x |x|

(4) limx0

| x| . x2 +x+10

Since limx0 x2 + x + 10 = 10 = 0, we have |x| limx0 |x| limx0 |x| = = . x0 x2 + x + 10 limx0 (x2 + x + 10) 10 lim Now |x| = x x x>0 . x0

Clearly limx0+ |x| = 0 = limx0 |x|. Hence limx0 |x| = 0 and

lim

|x| limx0 |x| 0 = = = 0. + x + 10 10 10

(5) limh0

4+h2 . h

Since limh0 4 + h 2 = 0 = limh0 h, we cannot determine whether this limit exists or not from the limit laws without some transformation. We have ( 4 + h 2)( 4 + h + 2) 4+h2 ( 4 + h)2 4) lim = lim = lim h0 h0 h0 h( 4 + h + 2) h h( 4 + h + 2) = lim h 1 1 (4 + h) 4 = lim = lim = . h0 h( 4 + h + 2) h0 ( 4 + h + 2) h0 h( 4 + h + 2) 4

(6) If 2x g (x) x2 x + 2 for all x, evaluate limx1 g (x). We use the Sandwich theorem here. Since 2x g (x) x2 x + 2, we have
x 1

lim 2x lim g (x) lim (x2 x + 2),

therefore 2 lim g (x) 2

and hence
x1

lim g (x) = 2.

(7) Determine if the following limit is nite, or D.N.E. and is not . lim (x 3)(x + 2) . (x 1)(x 2)

x1

Let P (x) = (x 3)(x + 2) and Q(x) = (x 1)(x 2). We have P (1) = 6 = 0 and Q(1) = 0. (x3)(x+2) P (x) =( get larger in absolute value as x approaches 1. Therefore the values of Q (x) x1)(x2) As x approaches 1 from the left, (x 3) < 0, (x 2) < 0, (x 1) < 0, and (x + 2) > 0, therefore (x3)(x+2) the quotient ( < 0 as x approaches 1 from the left and therefore x1)(x2) lim (x 3)(x + 2) = . (x 1)(x 2)

x1