1.

2:Rates of Change & Limits

Learning Goals:
Calculate average &
instantaneous speed
Define, calculate &
apply properties of limits
Use Sandwich Theorem
2009 Mark Pickering

Important Ideas

Limits are what make

calculus different from
algebra and trigonometry
Limits are fundamental
to the study of calculus
Limits are related to rate
of change
Rate of change is
important in engineering

Theorem 1
Limits have the
following properties:
if lim f ( x) L & lim g ( x) M
x c

x c

then:
f ( x) g ( x) L M

1. lim
x c

Theorem 1
Limits have the
following properties:
if lim f ( x) L & lim g ( x) M
x c

x c

then:
f ( x) g ( x) L M

2. lim
x c

Theorem 1
Limits have the
following properties:
if lim f ( x) L & lim g ( x) M
x c

x c

then:
3. lim f ( x)gg ( x) LgM
x c

Theorem 1
Limits have the
following properties:
if lim f ( x) L & k a
x c
constant
then:
k gf ( x) k gL

4. lim
x c

Theorem 1
Limits have the
following properties:
if lim f ( x) L & lim g ( x) M
x c

x c

then:
f ( x) L
,M 0
5. lim
x c g ( x )
M

Theorem 1
Limits have the
following properties:
if lim f ( x) L & r & s are
x c

integers, then:
r
s

r
s

6. lim f ( x) L
x c

Theorem 1
Limits have the
following properties:
if f ( x) k where k is a
constant,
f ( x) lim k k
then:
7. lim
x c
x c
(not in your text as Th.

Theorem 2
For polynomial and
rational functions:
f ( x ) f (c )
a lim
x c
.
f ( x ) f (c )

, g (c ) 0
b. lim
x c g ( x )
g (c )
Limits may be found by

Example
Solve using limit
properties and
substitution:
2
lim 2 x 3 x 2
x 3

Try This
Solve using limit
properties and
2
substitution:
x x4
lim
x 2
x3
6

Example
Sometimes limits do
not exist. Consider:
3
x 3
lim
x 2 x 2
If substitution gives a
constant divided by 0,
the limit does not exist

Example
Trig functions may
have limits.
lim(sin
x
)

Try This
lim(cos
x
)

lim(cos
x
)

cos

2
x
2

Example
Find the limit if it
exists: 3
x 1 Try
lim
substitutio
x 1 x 1
n

Example
Find the limit if it
exists: 3
Substitution
x 1 doesnt
lim
x 1 x 1 workdoes
this mean
the limit
doesnt

Important Idea
3
2
x 1 ( x 1)( x x 1)

x 1
x 1
and

x x 1
2

are the same except at

x=-1

Important Idea

The functions have the

same limit as x-1

Procedure
1.Try substitution
2. Factor and cancel if
substitution doesnt
work
3.Try substitution again
The factor & cancellation
technique

Try This
s
u
Find the limit if it exists:
l
u
c
t
l
2a
a
x

6
c
h
t
k
lim
e
t
n

b
i
x

3
x

3
n
h
?
o
t
s
t
I sy u g
o
a
n
i
y
e id g5o ?
D a s ult
w c

Try This
Find the limit if it exists:

2 x
lim 2
x2 x 4

Try This
Find the limit if it exists:
x x6
lim
x 3
x3
Confirm by graphing
The limit doesnt exist
2

Definition
When substitution
results in a 0/0 fraction,
the result is called an
indeterminate form.

Important Idea
The limit of an
indeterminate form
exists, but to find it you
must use a technique,
such as factor and
cancel.

Try This
Find the limit if it exists:

2x x 3
lim
x 1
x 1
2

-5

Try This
x 1
GraphY1
and
x 1
2
Y2 x x 1 on the
same
axes. What is
the
difference between
these graphs?
3

Analysis
Why is
there a
hole in
the
graph at
x=1?

x 1
f ( x)
x 1
3

Consider
x 1
f ( x)
x 1
3

Example

for (,1) U (1, )

and

f ( x) 4
for x=1

x 1
lim
=?
x 1 x 1
3

Try This
f ( x) if
Find:lim
x 1

f ( x) x 2, x 1
2

f ( x) 1, x 1
lim f ( x) 3
x 1

Important Idea
The existence or nonexistence of f(x) as x
approaches c has no
bearing on the existence
of the limit of f(x) as x

Important Idea
What matters iswhat
value does f(x) get very,
very close to as x gets
very,very close to c. This
value is the limit.

Try This
f ( x)
Find: lim
x0
x
f ( x)
x 1 1

f(0)is undefined; 2 is
the limit

Find: lim f ( x)
x0

f ( x)

x
x 1 1

,x 0

f ( x) 1, x 0

Try This
2
1

f(0) is defined; 2 is the

limit

Try This
Find the limit of f(x) as x
approaches 3 where f is
defined by: 2 , x 3
f ( x)

3 ,x 3

lim f ( x) 2
x 3

Try This
Graph and find the limit
(if it exists):

3
lim
x 3 x 3
DNE

Theorem 3: One-sided & Two

Sided limits
if lim f ( x) L (limit from

x c
right)
an
dlim f ( x) L (limit from

x c
left)
f ( x) L (overall
then xlim
c

Theorem 3: One-sided & Two

Sided limits (Converse)
if lim f ( x) L (limit from

x c
right)
an
dlim f ( x) M (limit from

x c
left)
then lim f ( x) (DNE)
x c

Example

x 1
, x 1
Conside f ( x)
x 1
3

rWhat happens at x=1?

Let x get close to 1 from
the left:
x .75 .9 .99 .
999
f(x)

Try This
3

x 1
, x 1
Conside f ( x)
x 1

r
Let x get close to 1 from
the right:
x
f(x)

1.25 1.1

1.0 1.00
1
1

Try This
What number does f(x)
approach as x
approaches 1 from the
left and from the right?
x 1
lim
3
x 1 x 1
3

Try This
Find the limit if it
exists:

lim

x0

x
x

DNE

Example
Find the limit if it
exists:
1
lim sin
x 0
x

Example

1.Graphsin
using a

x
friendly window:
2. Zoom at x=0
3. Wassup at x=0?

Important Idea
If f(x) bounces from one
value to another
(oscillates) as x
approaches c, the limit
of f(x) does not exist at

Theorem 4: Sandwich
(Squeeze) Theorem
Let f(x) be between g(x) &
h(x) in an interval
lim
g
(
x
)

lim
h
(
x
)

L
containing
c
.
If
x c
x c
then: lim f ( x) L
x c

f(x) is squeezed to L

Example
Find the limit if it exists:

sin
lim
0

Where is in radians

,
and in the interval

2 2

Example
Find the limit if it exists:

sin
lim
0

Substitution gives the

indeterminate form

Example
Find the limit if it exists:

sin
lim
0

Factor and cancel

doesnt work

Example
Find the limit if it exists:

sin
lim
0

Maybethe squeeze
theorem

Example

g()=1

sin
f ( )

h()=cos

Example

lim1 1
0

lim
cos

1
& 0

therefore

sin
lim
1
0

Two Special Trig Limits

sin
e
z
i
lim
1
r
0
o
m

e
M

1 cos
lim
0
0

Example
Find the limit if it exists:

tan x
lim
x0
x
sin x
1
lim
lim
11 1
x0
x 0 cos x
x

Example
Find the limit if it exists:

sin(5 x)
lim
x0
x
sin(5 x)
sin(5 x)
lim 5
5 lim
5 1 5

x0
x0
5
x
5 x

Try This
Find the limit if it exists:

3 3 cos x
lim
x0
x
0

Lesson Close
Name 3 ways a limit
may fail to exist.

Practice
1. Sec 1.2 #1, 3, 8, 918, 28-38E (just find
limit L), 39-42gc
(graphing calculator),
43-45