Notes

Section 1.1: Introduction to Limits

Definition 1. If the values of f (x) can be made as close as we like to L by taking values of x sufficiently
close (but not equal) to a, we write
lim f (x) = L
xa

Example 1. For f (x) =

x
f (x)

x2 + 3x + 2
x+1

1.1
.9

1.01
.99

1.001
.999

.999
1.001

.99
1.01

.9
1.1

lim f (x) =

x1

Definition 2. If the values of f (x) can be made as close as we like to L by taking values of x sufficiently
close to a (but greater than a), then we write
lim f (x) = L

xa+

and if the values of f (x) can be made as close as we like to L by taking values of x sufficiently close to a
(but less than a), then we write
lim f (x) = L
xa

These are read as the limits of f (x) as x approaches a from the right (left) is L or f (x) approaches L as
x approaches a from the right (left).
(
x1
if x 1
Example 2. For g(x) =
x2 2x if x > 1

x
g(x)

0
1

.9
.1
lim g(x) =

x1

.99
.01

lim g(x) =

x1

1.01
.9999

1.1
.99

lim g(x) =

x1+

2
0

Notes

Section 1.1: Introduction to Limits

Corollary 1. If either lim+ f (x) or lim f (x) does not exist, then lim f (x) does not exist.
xa

xa

xa

Example 3. For A(x) = x3 1.

x
A(x)

1
2

.1
1.001

lim A(x) =

lim A(x) =

x0

Example 4. For y = sin

.01
1.000001

.01
.999999

.1
.999

1
0

lim A(x) =

x0

x0+

z
P (z)

1
0

.1
0

.01
0

.001
0

.0001
0

.00001
0

.000001
.767200

z
P (z)

2
1

1
0

.3
.866025

.026
.464723

.0013
.663123

.00055
.540641

.000097
.767200

lim P (z) =

z0

lim P (z) =

z0+

lim P (z) =

z0

Notes

Section 1.1: Introduction to Limits

Example 5. For F (x) =

x
F (x)

|x|
.
x

1
1

.1
1

.01
1

lim F (x) =

lim F (x) =

x0

.1
1

.01
1

1
1

lim F (x) =

x0

x0+

Definition 3. The expressions

lim f (x) = and lim+ f (x) =

xa

xa

denote that f (x) increases without bound as x approaches a from the left and from the right, respectively. If
both are true, we write
lim f (x) =
xa

Similarly, the expressions

lim f (x) = and lim+ f (x) =

xa

xa

denote that f (x) decreases without bound as x approaches a from the left and from the right, respectively. If
both are true, we write
lim f (x) =
xa

It is important to remember that these limits do not actually exist. They just allow for a convenient
notation.
Definition 4. The line x = a is said to be a vertical asymptote of the curve y = f (x) if any of the
following situations occur:
lim f (x) = ,

xa

lim f (x) = ,

xa+

lim f (x) = ,

xa

lim f (x) =

xa+

Notes

Section 1.1: Introduction to Limits

3
.
r5

Example 6. For H(r) =

r
H(r)

4
3

4.9
30

4.99
300

4.999
3000

4.9999
30000

4.99999
300000

4.999999
3000000

r
H(r)

6
3

5.1
30

5.01
300

5.001
3000

5.0001
30000

.00001
300000

5.000001
3000000

lim H(r) =

lim H(r) =

x5

lim H(r) =

x5

x5+

Definition 5. If the values of f (x) eventually get as close as we like to a number L as x increases without
bound, then we write
lim f (x) = L
x

Similarly, if the values of f (x) eventually get as close as we like to a number L as x decreases without bound,
then we write
lim f (x) = L
x

Definition 6. If lim f (x) = L or lim = L, we call the line y = L a horizontal asymptote of y = f (x).
x

Example 7. For z = tan

y
z

1
.785398

10
1.471128

20
1.520878

100
1.560797

1000
1.569797

10000
1.570696

100000
1.570786

y
z

1
.785398

10
1.471128

20
1.520878

100
1.560797

1000
1.569797

10000
1.570696

100000
1.570786

lim H(r) =

lim H(r) =

Notes

Section 1.1: Introduction to Limits

Example 8. Use the graph of f (x) below to compute the following limits.

lim f (x) =

lim f (x) =

x1

lim f (x) =

x4+

f (1) =

lim f (x) =

x3

lim f (x) =

x1+

lim f (x) =

x6

f (6) =

lim f (x) =

x3+

lim f (x) =

x4

lim f (x) =

x6+

f (0) =

Notes

Section 1.1: Introduction to Limits

Definition 7. Two functions f (x) and g(x) are said to be asymptotic if

lim f (x) g(x) = 0.

We notate this as f (x) g(x). We say that y = g(x) is an oblique asymptote of f (x).
Example 9. Let f (x) = tan1 x +

x
f (x)
g(x)
f (x) g(x)

1
.618731
.785398
.166667

1
and g(x) = tan1 x.
(x + 2)(x 3)

5
1.44483
1.3734
.0714286

10
1.48303
1.47113
.0119048

100
1.5609
1.5608
.0001017

1000
1.5698
1.5698
1.001 106

10000
1.5707
1.5707
1.00 108

100000
1.57079
1.57079
1.00 1010