Limits of Functions

Limit of Functions

A LIMIT means
getting

as close to something as you can without

actually getting there.

Limit of Functions

A LIMIT is
the

value that a function or sequence

"approaches" as the input approaches some value.

the

intended height of a function.

Limit of a Function
Consider the function defined by

f ( x) x 2 x 2

Limit of a Function
Consider the function defined by

f ( x) x 2 x 2

Limit of a Function
The number 4 , which f(x) gets close to when x gets
closer to 2, but not equal to 2 is said to be the limit
of f(x) as x approaches 2 .

In symbols, we write

lim f x 4
x 2

Limit of a Function
Consider the function defined by,

x2 2x 3
g( x )
x3
x

f(x)

f(x)

2.5

3.5

3.5

2.9

4.5

3.9

3.1

4.1

2.99

3.99
3.999

3.01

2.999

Therefore,

3.001

lim g x 4

x 3

4.01
4.001

Limit of a Function

Note: In finding the limit of a function as x

approaches a number c, lim f x L
x c

we are NOT concerned with the value of the

function when x = c , since the limit can exist even
if f(c) is not defined.

Limit of a Function
Limit Definition:
If

f(x)

gets closer and closer to a number

gets closer and closer to a number

as

from both

sides, then L is the limit of f(x) as x approaches c.

The behavior is expressed by writing

lim f x L

x c

Limit of a Function
Limit Definition:

lim f x L
x c

The limit of f of x as

x approaches c is L.

As x gets close to a number c,

y, f(x), gets close to a number L. .

Limit of a Function
Geometrically, the limit statement
lim f x L

x c

means that the height of the graph y = f(x)

approaches L as x approaches c.

Limit of a Function
The limits describe the behavior of the function
near a particular point, not necessarily at the point
itself.
The limit exist for the following:

Limit of a Function
The limit does not exist for the following:

Limit of a Function
Example:
Evaluate

lim ( x 3)
x 2

Study the behavior of the linear function

f(x) = x+3 as x takes on values closer
and closer to 2 from both sides, values
less than 2 and values greater than 2.
x 2
x

-2

y=f(x) 1

x 2+

-1

1.99

1.999

2.001

2.01

4.99

4.999

5.001

5.01

lim ( x 3) 5
x 2

Limit of a Function

lim ( x 3) 5
x 2

Limit of a Function
Example:
Evaluate

Limit of a Function
The limit of a function refers to the value that
the function approaches, NOT the actual value
(if any).

f (2) = 1

lim f x 2
x 2

2
1

lim f ( x ) 2
x 3

f (3) = 2

PROPERTIES OF
LIMITS

Properties of Limits
Theorems:
If c is a constant, then for
any number a,

lim c c

x a

lim x a

For any number a,

If m and b are any

constants, then for any
number a,
If n is a positive integer,
then for any number a,

x a

lim (mx b) ma b

x a

lim x n a n

x a

Properties of Limits
If a0 and n is a positive integer
or if a0 and n is an odd positive
integer, then for any number a

If a is any real number except

zero, then

If c is a constant and lim f ( x) L ,

x a
then for any number a,

lim n x n a

x a

1 1
lim
x a x
a

lim cf ( x) cL

x a

Properties of Limits
Theorems:
If lim f ( x ) L and
x a

lim g( x ) M
x a

then for any number a,

lim f ( x ) g x L M
x a

lim f ( x ) g x L M
x a

lim f ( x ) g x L M
x a

f ( x) L
lim

x a g x

, M 0

Properties of Limits
Theorems:
If
lim f ( x ) L
x a

and n is any positive integer,then for any

number a,

lim f ( x )n Ln

x a

lim n f ( x ) n L

x a

Properties of Limits
Notice that if a is in the domain of the function
the limit of f(x) as x approaches a is simply f(a).
The limit can be evaluated by direct substitution.

Properties of Limits
Theorem:
If P is a polynomial function and a is any real
number, then

lim P ( x ) P ( a )

x a

Theorem:
If f(x) is a rational function and a is any real
number such that a is in the domain of f ,then

lim f ( x ) f ( a )

x a

Properties of Limits
To determine the limit of a rational function as x
approaches a number which is not in the domain of the
function.
Either the limit does not exist or we use the
replacement theorem to show that the limit exist.
Replacement Thm: Let a be a real number and for all
f(x) =g(x) for all xa . If the limit of g(x) exists as x
approaches a, then the limit of f(x) also exists and

lim f ( x) lim g ( x)

x a

x a

Properties of Limits
Example:
Evaluate

Solution:

lim f ( x )

x 5

if

x 2 2 x 15
f( x)
x5

Evaluating Limits
1. If the denominator consists of single term
and approaches 0, simplification of the
expression should be done first before evaluating
the limit.
Examples:
a. Evaluate:

(x a ) a
lim
x 0
x

Evaluating Limits

(x a ) a
lim
1
x 0
x

Evaluating Limits

b. Evaluate:

( x 2) 2 4
lim
x 0
x

Evaluating Limits

c. Evaluate:

(x h) x
lim
h 0
h
3

3x

Evaluating Limits
2. If the denominator consists of two or more
terms and approaches 0, simplify the expression
thru factoring.

Evaluating Limits
Examples:
a. Evaluate:

x x2
3
lim
x 1
x 1
2

( x 2)( x 1)
lim
x 1
x 1
lim ( x 2)
x 1

Evaluating Limits

( x 1)
lim
x 1 x 1
2

( x 1)( x 1)
lim
x 1
x 1

lim ( x 1)
x 1

Evaluating Limits

c. Evaluate:

x 27
lim
x 3 x 3
3

27

Evaluating Limits
3.
Limits that have sums or differences
involving square roots can be simplified by
conjugation.

Recall:
Conjugate

Product

a - b

a2 - b2

x y

x y

x- y

x 3 4

x 3 4

x - 13

x 3 x 5

x 3 x 5

Evaluating Limits

d. Evaluate:

x2 2
lim

0
.
354
x 0
x

Evaluating Limits

x2 2

x2 2

x2 2
lim
x 0
x

1
x2 2

lim
lim
x2 2
x22

x0 x x2 2 x0 x x2 2
lim

x 0

1
=0.35355

2 2

Evaluating Limits
b. Evaluate:

4( x 4)
lim
x 4
x 2

lim 4x 4 x 2
2
2
x4
x 2

lim 4 x 2
x 4

x 2

x 2

lim 4x 4 x 2

x4
x 4

4 4 2

16

Evaluating Limits

4( x 4)
lim
x 4
x 2

= 16

Evaluating Limits

4. Functions involving two or more fractional

terms and the denominator approaching zero,
can be evaluated by simplifying the function.

One Sided Limits

One-Sided Limits
In the definition of limit of a function, there
should first be an open interval containing a such
that f must be defined at every number in that
interval except possibly at a.
Given any real number a, we can find functions
which are defined only to the right of a or only to
the left of a.
If f is one such function, then the
limit does not exist.
Example:

f ( x) x

g ( x) 4 x

One-Sided Limits
Defn: Let f be a function defined at every number
in some open interval (a, c). The limit of f(x) as x
approaches a from the right is L, written

lim f ( x) L

x a

if the values of f(x) get closer and closer to L as

the values of x get closer and closer to a , and
when the values of x are greater than a.
Example:
Evaluate the following limits:

1. lim x 3
x 3

2. lim x 2 4 5

x 2

One-Sided Limits
Defn: Let f be a function defined at every number
in some open interval (b, a). The limit of f(x) as x
approaches a from the left is L, written
lim f ( x) L

x a

if the values of f(x) get closer and closer to L as

the values of x get closer and closer to a, and
when the values of are less than a.
Example:
Evaluate the following limits

1. lim 5 x
x 5

2. lim 1 x 2 2

x 1

One-Sided Limits
In some cases , a function may approach either of
two different limits, depending on whether the
variable approaches its limit through values larger
or smaller than that limit
In such a case, the limit is not defined or does
not exist but the right-hand and left-hand limits
exist.
Example:

One-Sided Limits
If the left-hand limit and the right-hand limit both
exist and are both equal to L, then (the two-sided
limit exist)
lim f ( x )
xa

exists and is equal to L.

If the left-hand limit and the right-hand limit both
exist but are not equal, or if one of these exists
while the other does not, then the two-sided limit
does not exist.

One-Sided Limits
Example:
1. Given f ( x )

x 2 25

Determine if lim f ( x ) and lim f ( x ) exist.

x 5

x 5

x 1
2. Given f ( x ) 2
if
x 7
Determine if lim f ( x ) exist.
x3

x3
x3

One-Sided Limits

4
2
Given f ( x ) x 1 if
2 x 7

x2
2 x 2
x 2

Determine if lim f ( x ) and lim f ( x ) exist.

x 2

x 2