MODULE II

LIMITS
CONTENTS:
Lesson 6: Limit of a Function and Theorems on Limits
Lesson 7: One Sided Limits
Lesson 8: Infinite Limits
Lesson 9: Vertical and Horizontal Asm!totes
Lesson "#: $ontinuit of a Function of a %um&er
OVERVIEW OF THE MODULE:
$alculus is a 'er !o(erful &ranch of mathematics (ith a (ide ran)e of
a!!lications* includin) cur'e tracin)* inter!retation of functions and analsis of
rates of chan)es+
,hat )i'es calculus its !o(er and distin)uishes it from the other &ranches
of mathematics is the conce!t of limits+ The !ur!ose of this module is to e-!lain
this fundamental conce!t+
GENERAL OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this module* the students are e-!ected to !erform the
follo(in):
define limits and continuit
illustrate limits
descri&e limits and its !ro!erties
e'aluate limits
determine 'ertical and horizontal asm!totes
s.etch the )ra!hs of function (ith 'ertical and horizontal asm!totes
demonstrate continuit of a function+
42
LESSON 6: Limits of a Function and Theorems on
Limits
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this lesson* the students are e-!ected to !erform the
follo(in):
define limits/
illustrate limits and its theorems/ and
e'aluate limits a!!lin) the )i'en theorems+
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES:
0isco'er a!!roach to)ether (ith class discussion is a )ood techni1ue to
consider in this are+ It )uides the students to discuss and or)anize their ideas*
and !rocess these ideas & themsel'es+ The a!!roach (ill &e &oth intuiti'e and
formal+
The follo(in) discussion (ill form the foundation for a more ri)orous
de'elo!ment of the la(s and !rocedures of $alculus+
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
To e'aluate students2 !erformance in this area* as. our students to
redefine limits in their o(n (ords+ 3'aluate the limits and 4ustif each ste! usin)
the a!!ro!riate theories+
DISCUSSION OF THE TOPICS:
$onsider the function

5
"
6 7
"
x
f x
x

%ote that the )i'en function is not defined at - 8 " since at this !oint f6-7
has the form
#
#
(hich is meanin)less or indeterminate+
9ut (hat (ill ha!!en to f6-7 as - a!!roaches "* or is f6-7 a!!roachin)
some s!ecific 'alues as - a!!roaches ":
43
5+6;
5+5"
5+#5
<+97
<+7"
<+5"
<+"9
"+<#
"+"#
"+#"
#+99
#+9#
#+8#
#+7#
-
Schematic
0ia)ram
To ans(er the 1uestion* consider the follo(in):
$alculate some 'alues of f6-7 for 'alues of - close to "+ Sho( these relationshi!s
in a schematic dia)ram* and s.etch the )ra!h of the function+
- "+< "+" "+#" " #+99 #+9 #+8 #+7
5
"
"
x
y
x

5+6; 5+5" 5+#5 : <+97 <+7" <+5" <+"9

From the illustrations a&o'e* (e arri'ed at the conclusion that f(x)
approaches 3 as x approaches 1+ In sm&ol (e (rite
5
"
"
lim 5
"
x
x
x

and read as the limit of

5
"
"
x
x

as x approaches 1 is 3.
Al)e&raicall* a &etter illustration is )i'en &
5
"
"
lim
"
x
x
x

8
<
"
6 "76 "7
lim
"
x
x x x
x

+ +

8
<
"
lim6 "7
x
x x

+ +
* - "
8
<
" " " + +
8 5
To 4ustif the second illustration* note that
"
"
"
x
x

as lon) as " x +
44
"
<
5
;
" <
-
f6-7
f6-7
8

=i'en the a&o'e illustration then*

Theorems on Limis! To e'aluate limits usin) sim!ler methods* the follo(in)
theorems are !resented &ased on the definition+
Theorem " Limi o# $ Cons$n

If c is a constant* then for an num&er a
3-am!le:
<
lim; ;
x

Theorem % Limi o# he I&eni#' F(n)ion
3-am!le:
>
lim >
x
x

Theorem * Limi o# $ Line$r F(n)ion

If m and & are constants
3-am!le:
;
lim6< 57
x
x

+
8 <6;7 ? 5
8 ""
Theorem + Limi o# he S(m $n& Di##eren)e

If
lim 6 7
x a
f x L

and
lim 6 7
x a
g x M

* then
45

lim 6 7
x a
f x L

means that (hen - is close to &ut not e1ual to a* then f6-7 is

close to L+
lim
x a
C C

lim
x a
x a

lim6 7
x a
mx b ma b

+ +


3-am!le:
;
lim6< >7
x
x

8
; ;
lim6< 7 lim6 >7
x x
x

+

8 8 @>

8 5
Theorem , Limi o# he Pro&()
If
lim 6 7
x a
f x L

and
lim 6 7
x a
g x M

* then
Theorem - Limi o# he n
h
Po.er o# $ F(n)ion
If
lim 6 7
x a
f x L

and n is an !ositi'e inte)er* then

3-am!le:
5
5
lim65 67
x
x

+
8
5
5
lim65 67
x
x

1
+
]
8 6@57
5
8 @<7
Theorem / Limi o# $ 0(oien
46
n n
a x
L x f

)] ( [
lim

M L
) ( ) ( )] ( ) ( [
lim lim lim
t
t t

x g x f x g x f
a x a x a x
M L
)] ( [ )] ( [ )] ( ) ( [
lim lim lim



x g x f x g x f
a x a x a x
If
- a
lim f6-7 8 L

and
- a
lim )6-7 8 A

* then


3-am!le:
>
<
lim
> ;
x
x
x

8
>
> >
lim6< 7
lim6> 7 lim6 ;7
x
x x
x
x

+
8
"#
<"

Theorem 1 Limi o# he n
h
Roo o# $ F(n)ion
If n is a !ositi'e inte)er and
lim 6 7
x a
f x L

* then
note: If n is e'en L B #+
3-am!le:
"
8 "
lim
5
x
x
x

+
+
8
"
8 "
lim
5
x
x
x

+
+
8
9
;
8
5
<
3-am!le 6+"+ 3'aluate ( )
<
5
lim 5 ; "
x
x x

+
47
0 ,
) (
) (

) (
) (
lim
lim
lim

M
M
L
x g
x f
x g
x f
a x
a x
a x
n
L
) ( ) (
lim lim

n
a x
n
a x
x f x f
Solution:
( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )


<
<
5 5 5 5 5 5
<
lim 5 ; " lim5 lim lim; lim lim"
5 5 ; 5 "
<7 "< "
58
x x x x x x
x x x x

+ +
+
+

or: ,hen e'aluatin) the limit of a function at a )i'en 'alue* sim!l re!lace the
'aria&le & the indicated limit then sol'e for the 'alue of the function:
( ) ( ) ( )



<
<
5
lim 5 ; " 5 5 ; 5 "
<7 "< "
58
x
x x

+ +
+

3-am!le 6+<+ 3'aluate

5
<
8
lim
<
x
x
x

+
+
Solution:
( )
5
5
<
< 8
8 8 8 #
lim
< < < # #
x
x
x

+
+ +

+ +
6indeterminate7
31ui'alent function:
( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( )





<
<
<
<
<
5
<
< < ;
lim
<
lim < ;
< < < ;
; ; ;
"<
8
lim "<
<
x
x
x
x x x
x
x x
x
x

+ +

+
+
+
+ +

+

+
3-am!le 6+5+ 3'aluate
#
< <
lim
x
x
x

+
48
%ote: In e'aluatin) a limit of a 1uotient
(hich reduces to
0
0
* sim!lif the
fraction+ Cust remo'e the common factor
in the numerator and denominator (hich
ma.es the 1uotient
0
0
+ To do this use
factorin) or rationalizin) the numerator
or denominator* (here'er the radical is+
Solution:
#
< < < < #
lim
# #
x
x
x

+
6indeterminate7
Dationalizin) the numerator:
( )

# #
#
#
< < < < < <
lim lim
< < < <
" " " <
lim
;
< < < < < <
< < <
lim
;
x x
x
x
x x x
x
x x x
x
x
x

+ + + +

+ + + +

+ + +
+

3-am!le 6+;+ 3'aluate
5
<
5
<
8 <7
lim
; 9
x
x
x

Solution:
5
<
5
5
< <
5
8 <7
8 <7 <7 <7 # <
lim
; 9 9 9 #
5
; 9
<
x
x
x

,


_

,
6indeterminate7
Factorin) the numerator and denominator:
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
5 5
< <
5
<
<
5
<
<
< 5 ; 6 9
8 <7
lim lim
; 9 < 5 < 5
; 6 9 9 9 9
lim
< 5 5 5
<7 9 5 5 <
6 < <
<
x x
x
x x x
x
x x x
x x
x

+ +

+
+ + + +

+ +



3-am!le 6+>+ 3'aluate
5
<
<
< 5
lim
>
x
x x
x

+ +
+
Solution:
49
( ) ( )
( )
5
5
< <
<
< < < 5
< 5
lim
>
< >
8 ; 5
; >
">
9
">
5
x
x x
x

+ +
+ +

+
+
+ +

.
E2ERCISES:
3'aluate the limits of the follo(in)+
50
"+
<
- @5
lim6;- > <7 x

+
<+
<
- @"
<- ? "
lim
- 5 ; x

+
5+
<
5
- @"
5 ;
lim
"
x x
x

+ +
+
;+
5
- <
- 8
lim
< x

>+
"
5
<
-
5- "
lim
9 " x

6+
5 <
<
- "
<- 5 < 5
lim
"
x x
x

7+
"
5 5
<
; 8
lim
;
y
y
y

_ +

+
,
8+
<
<
"
6@"76 < 57
lim
< "
y
y
y y

+
+
9+
"
<
; 5
- >
lim6<- 9 "97 x

+
"#+
<
<
@"
( 7 7
lim
; >
w
w
w w

+ +

51