Mathematics MATH 1111

UNIT 5

LIMITS

Unit Structure

5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6

Overview Learning Objectives Introduction Limits Definition, Properties and Evaluation LHpitals Rule Summary Answers to Activities

5.0

OVERVIEW

In this Unit, we define the limit of a real valued function and study its different properties.

5.1

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After having studied this Unit, you should be able to do the following:

1. 2. 3.

Define limit. Apply the properties of limit to the valuate limit of a function of a real variable. Use LHpitals rule to evaluate limits.

5.2

INTRODUCTION

The concept of limits is very important to understand some properties of functions. In fact the condition for the continuity and differentiability of functions depends on the existence of their limit.

Unit 5

Mathematics MATH 1111

Usually we wish to find the limit of a function, say f ( x) at a point c or at extreme points such as x = , or x = . Using mathematical notation, we write lim f ( x) , lim f ( x) or
x c x + x

lim f ( x) respectively.

5.3

Limits Definition, Properties and Evaluation

Example 1 Consider the function f ( x) = x + 2 . How does f ( x) behave near x = 2 ?

f ( x) = x + 2

We note that as x approaches 2 from the right, the function f(x) tends to the value of 4. We also find that when x approaches 2 from the left, the function f(x) tends to the value of 4 as well. Therefore we say that the limit of f(x) as x approaches 2 is 4, that is
lim f ( x) = lim x + 2 = 4 .
x2 x2

Definition
Let f(x) be defined on an open interval about x0, except possibly at x0 itself. If f(x) gets arbitrarily close to L for all x sufficiently close to x0, we say that f approaches the limit L as x approaches x0, and we write
x x0

lim f ( x) = L .

Unit 5

Mathematics MATH 1111

Example 2 2, if x 4 . Consider the function f ( x) = 1, if x < 4

2 1

Let us evaluate the limit of f(x) at x = 4. When x approaches 4 from the right, the function f(x) tends to the value of 2, that is lim+ f ( x) = 2 . However, when x approaches 4 from the
x 4

left, f(x) tends to the value of 1, that is lim f ( x) = 1 . Since lim+ f ( x) lim f ( x) ,
x 4 x 4 x 4

lim f ( x) does not exist.

x 4

Existence of limits
lim f ( x) exists and is equal to L lim f ( x) = lim+ f ( x) = L .
xc xc x c

Properties of Limits
Let f(x) and g(x) be two functions where lim f ( x) = L and lim g ( x) = J , J 0 .
x c xc

Then 1. lim[ f ( x) + g ( x)] = L + J

x c

2. lim[ f ( x) g ( x)] = L J
x c

Unit 5

Mathematics MATH 1111

3. lim[ f ( x).g ( x)] = L J

x c

4. lim kf ( x) = kL
x c

5. lim
x c

f ( x) L = g ( x) J
r x c r r

6. If r and s are integers, then lim[ f ( x)] s = Ls , provided L s is a real number.

Sandwich Theorem

Suppose f ( x) h( x) g ( x) for all x in some open interval containing d, except possibly at x = d itself and also supposed that lim f ( x) = lim g ( x) = L . Then lim h( x) = L .
xd xd xd

How do we find the limit of a function?

1. Substitute x = c into the expression for f ( x) . If f (c) is real, check if f ( x) f (c) as x c . 2. In case f (c) is not defined, obtain an equivalent expression for the function by algebraic simplifications and find the value of this expression at x = c . 3. In case step 1 and 2 does not work, then compute lim f ( x) and lim+ f ( x) using any
x c x c

of the above properties and calculate f ( x) for real numbers less than c and approaching c, and real numbers greater than c and approaching c.

Example 3

lim x( x 3 + 2) = (lim x) (lim x 3 + lim 2) = 2(8 + 2) = 20 .

x2 x2 x 2 x2

Example 4

To evaluate lim

x 4

x 2 x4

Note that

x 2 is defined for all values of x except x = 4 . x4

Unit 5

Mathematics MATH 1111

x 2 x 2 = = x4 ( x 2)( x + 2) Thus,

1 x +2

lim

x 4

x 2 = lim x 4 x4

1 1 = . x +2 4

Example 5

10 x + 10 x3 = 1 . lim 3 = lim x 2 x 2 x 2 2 2 3 x
3

1+

Activity 1

1. Find the following limits: (a) lim x2 x 5 5 x

4 x 3

(b) lim (5 x ) 3

(c) lim (d) lim

x 4

x 2 16 x+4 x 25 ; x 5 21 3 x 7 5 x 7 + 11

x 5

(e) lim

(f) lim (2 x + 5)
x 7

(g) lim
x2

x+3 x+6

(h) lim
x 0

3 3x + 1 + 1

2. Find the following limits: (a) lim

x 5

x5 x 2 25

Unit 5

Mathematics MATH 1111

(b) lim
x 1

x2 + x 2 x2 1

u 4 1 (c) lim 3 x 1 u 1 (d) lim

x 1

x 1 x+3 2
x 3 x9 0 or , then we have to use LHpitals Rule. 0

(e) lim
x 9

Note:

If lim f ( x) yields
x c

5.4

LHPITALS RULE

Theorem

Consider the function cases.

Case 1

f ( x) . We can find the limit of this function for the following two g ( x)

If lim f ( x) = 0 and lim g ( x) = 0 , then lim

x c x c x c

f ( x) f ' ( x) = lim =L g ( x ) x c g ' ( x )

Case 2

If lim f ( x) = and lim g ( x) = , then lim

xc xc x c

f ( x) f ' ( x) = lim =L x c g ( x) g ' ( x) 0 In case (1) the limit is said to be of indeterminate form , and in case (2) it is of 0

indeterminate form .

Note that LHpitals Rule only applies to quotients of one of these two forms. The symbols and are not real numbers.

Unit 5

Mathematics MATH 1111

Example 6

Use LHpitals Rule to evaluate (a) lim (b) lim

x 0

sin 2 x ; x 0 x

1 ex ; x x2 ; ex

(c) lim
x 0

(d) lim x ln x .
Solution:
(a) lim sin 2 x x 0 x sin 0 0 = 0 0

lim
x 0

sin 2 x 2 cos 2 x 2 cos 0 = lim = = 2 (by differentiating numerator and denominator). x 0 x 1 1

1 ex (b) lim x 0 x

1 e0 0 0 =0

= lim

e x e0 = = 1. x 0 1 1

(c)

x2 Consider x e
lim

We find that as x , we have = e

x2 2x = lim x x x e x e 2 =lim x = lim 2e x = 0. x e x

Unit 5

Mathematics MATH 1111

(d )

lim ( x ln x)
x 0

( = 0 ) =

= = =

ln x x 0 1 x 1 lim x x 0 1 2 x lim ( x) lim

x 0

pital' s rule) (L' Ho

0.

Example 7

Determine the values of a and b such that

lim
x 0

a cos x + (b + 2) sin x a =1 . x2

Solution:

We find that when x = 0,

a cos x + (b + 2) sin x a 0 = . 0 x2

Hence we apply LHpital Rule to obtain

lim
x 0

a cos x + (b + 2) sin x a a sin x + (b + 2) cos x = lim 2 x 0 2x x

To use LHpital Rule again, we require that (b+2) = 0. becomes

lim a sin x a cos x a = lim = x 0 x0 2x 2 2

Putting b = 2 , the limit

Since we are given that the limit is equal to 1, then it follows that a = 2 . Hence we have a = 2 and b = 2 .

Activity 2

1. Evaluate (a) lim

x 0

sin x x +x 2

Unit 5

Mathematics MATH 1111

(b) lim (c) lim 1

x 2

x ln x

ln 2 x 2x 1

(d) lim

e2x 1 x 0 x

(e) lim

ex 1 x 0 sin 2 x

(f) lim
x 2

tan 3 x tan x 1 + tan x 4

(g) lim

x 3

cos

x 2

(h) lim

x2 4 x 2 x 2 + 3 x + 2
x 0

(i) lim + (j) lim

x 0

1 sec x x3 1 sec x x3

2. Show that (a) lim (b) lim (c) lim

sin ax a = x 0 sin bx b tan x =1 x 0 x 1 cos x 1 = x 0 2 x2

(d) lim (e) lim

x 0

3 sin 1 x 3 = x 0 4x 4
sin(1 + x) sin(1 x) = 2 cos1 x

Unit 5

Mathematics MATH 1111

5.5 SUMMARY
In this Unit you have studied the definition of limit for functions of one real variable and some techniques for evaluating the limit of a function at a point.

5.6 ANSWERS TO ACTIVITIES

Activity 1

1. (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) 2. (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) Activity 2 1. (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j) 1 1 2 1/2 1/3 1 4 1/10 3/2 4/3 4 1/6 5/2 16 -8 -20/(-5+ 5 ) -3/5 -9 5/8 3/2

10

f ( x) =
0.2

1 sec x x3
0.4

0.4

0.2

10

Unit 5

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