Section 2.

4 Notes Page 1
2.4 One-Sided Limits

One-Sided Limits

L x f
c x
=
+

) ( lim This means we are finding the limit of f as we approach c from the right (positive side)

L x f
c x
=

) ( lim This means we are finding the limit of f as we approach c from the left (negative side)

EXAMPLE: Find the limit:
2
4
16 lim x
x

We can still put in a 4 for x to get: 0 4 16
2
=
Look at the graph to the right. As we approach 4 from the right,
The y-value is approaching 0.
EXAMPLE: Find the limit:
4
2
lim
2
2

x
x
x


) 2 )( 2 (
2
lim
2
+

+

x x
x
x
First we factor the denominator. We cant quite cancel yet. We will factor once more.

) 2 )( 2 (
) 2 (
lim
2
+
+
+

x x
x
x
I factored out a negative one from the numerator. Now I can cancel with x 2.
) 2 (
1
lim
2
+

x
x
We still need to keep the negative on top. Now plug in 2 for x.
4
1
2 2
1
=
+

. Now see the graph to verify our answer:

Finding One-Sided Limits Algebraically

EXAMPLE: Find the limit:
|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
| +
|
.
|

\
|
+

7
3 6
1
1
lim
1
x
x
x
x
x
.

Even though this is a one-sided limit, we can just plug in the value x =1 for x into our expression just like we
did before:

1
7
2
1
7
2
1
7
1 3
1
6 1
1 1
1
7
3 6
1
1
lim
1
= |
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
= |
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
| +
|
.
|

\
|
+
= |
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
| +
|
.
|

\
|
+

x
x
x
x
x


So we know that 1
7
3 6
1
1
lim
1
= |
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
| +
|
.
|

\
|
+

x
x
x
x
x
.

Now what happens if we plug in our value and we get a zero in the denominator? Well this wont happen in
this section, however we will look at this in the next section. There are special ways of handling these types of
problems.


Section 2.4 Notes Page 2
Now lets read values off a graph using our new notation for one-sided limits:
PL Use he gra of f(x) b to find followin
, , , , , , ,
.
A closed circle is where the graph is defined.
=undef. For this one, there is no closed circle at
the x =2. So, nothing is defined here.
)

EXAM E: t ph elow the g:
) 0 ( f , ) 2 ( f , ) 2 ( f ) ( lim
2
x f
x
+

) ( lim
2
x f
x

) ( lim
2
x f
x
) ( lim
0
x f
x

) ( lim
0
x f
x

+

) ( lim
0
x f
x
) ( lim
2
x f
x


a.) ) 0 ( f =4 Notice you are finding the y-value when x =0


b ) .) 2 ( f


c 2 .) ( f =un
asymptote, so nothing will be
defined here.

def. There is no closed circles here either. We
have a vertical

d.)
2
) ( lim
2
=
+

x f
x
You are seeing what the y-value is approaching
1
as x approaches 2 from the right.

e.)
2
) ( lim
2
=

x f
x
You are seeing what the y-value is approach
1
ing
as x approaches 2 from the left.

f.)
2
) ( lim
2
=

x f
x
Since the limit from the left and right are the
1
same then our limit exists and is also equal to 1.
approaching


g.) ) ( lim
0
x f
x
+

=4 You are seeing what the y-value is

as x approaches 0 from the right.
h.) ) ( lim
0
x f
x

=
2
You are seeing what the y-value
1
is approaching
as x approaches 0 from the left.
)
re not the same, the limit does not
exist.
) =
re not the same, the limit does not
exist.



i. f d.n.e. Since the limit from the left and from the ) ( lim
0
x
x
=
right a


g
2
d.n.e. Since the limit from the left and from the .) ( lim x f
x
right a








Section 2.4 Notes Page 3
imits involving L u u / sin .

Suppose you wanted to find
u
u
u
lim
0
. To do this, we can make a table of values close to zero, and use your
calculato to fill in the va
sin
r lues. Looking at the table below, we see that the left and right handed limit approaches
where 1 u is in radians.

u 0.1 0.01 0.001 0.001 0.01 0.1
L 0.99833 0.99998 0.999998 0.999998 0.99998 0.99833

1
sin
lim
0
=

u
u
u
Therefore, where u is in radians.

This limit does work with other powers of u as long as the top and bottom variables are the same. For
example, suppose we had the following:
2
2
0
lim
sin
u
u
. The answer would still be 1 since the variable on top and
ottom are both squared.
XAMPLE: Find
x
b

x
x
x
8 sin
lim
0
E .
bottom do not
atch. We need the bottom to be 8x. We can do this by multiplying the top and bottom by 8:


The problem with this one is that we cant just put down one for the answer because the top and
m
8 1 8
8
8 sin
lim 8
8 sin
8
8
lim
8 sin
lim
x 0 0 0
= = = =

x
x
x
x
x
x
x x

a limit property. Now the top and bottom are 8x so the
mit goes to 1 but we still need to multiply it by 8.
XAMPLE: Find

The 8 on top can be put in front of the limit by using
li

u
u u u
u
3
sin
lim
2
0
+

E .

u
First, we need to divide each thing on top by u 3 . You will get
u
u
u
3 3 3
lim
0
+

. Lets look at the last term

sin 1
.
or this one we need the variable on the bottom to be just F u . So we need to divide the top and bottom by 3:

3
1
1
3
1 sin
lim
3
1
sin
3
1
lim
3
3
3
sin
lim
3
sin
lim
0 0 0 0
= = =

= =

u
u
u
u
u
u
u
u
u u u u
. So 0
3 3
0
3 3 3
lim
0
= + = +

u
1 1 sin 1 u u
u
.


More on next page




Section 2.4 Notes Page 4
imits involving L u u cos 1 .

Suppose you wanted to find
u
u
u
lim
0
. To do this, we can make a table of values close to zero, and us
your calculator to fill in the values. Loo
cos 1
e
king at the table below, we see that the left and right handed limit
pproaches 0 where a u is in radians.

u 0.1 0.01 0.001 0.001 0.01 0.1
L 0.05 0.005 0.0005 0.0005 0.005 0.05

Therefore, 0
cos 1
lim
0
=

u
u
u
where u is in radians.
us limit. This
mit does work with other powers of

Here is another special limit that we can check in with a graph. Same rules apply as the previo
li u as long as the top and bottom variables are the same.
XAMPLE: Find



u
u
u
6
3 cos 1
lim
0

E

We will use the same technique as in the previous exam e. We want to get pl u 3 in the top and bottom so we
eed to divide the top and bottom by 2 so we can get a n u 3 in the denominator.

( )
0 0
2
1
3
3 cos 1
lim
2
1
3
3 cos 1
2
1
lim
2
6
2
3 cos 1
lim
6
3 cos 1
lim
0 0 0 0
= =

=

=

u
u
u
u
u
u
u
u
u u u u




( ) x x x x
x x x
x
2 2
0
cos 3 sin 3
3 cos cos cos
lim
+

EXAMPLE: Find

For this one we first need to factor the numerator and denominator.

) (
( ) x x x
x x
2 2
0
cos sin 3
3 cos 1 cos
lim
+

u
We know that
2 2
. So now we have:
)
1 cos sin = + x x
(
x
x x
3
3 cos 1 cos
lim
0

u
We will separate this into the product of two different limits using the property.
( )
x
x
x
3
3 cos 1
lim cos lim
u 0 0

u
Now we will find the value of each limit separately and multiply them together.


1 0 0= .