Calculus

Associate of Science Degree in Management

Lecture 4

May 29, 2010

Contents

1 Review: Limits 1

1.1 The Existence of a Limit - A Graphical Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2 Continuity of a Function 1

3 Algebraic Approach 3

3.1 Properties of Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

3.2 Limits of Polynomial and Rational Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

3.3 Indeterminate Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

3.4 Continuity Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

4 Infinite Limits and Limits at Infinity 6

4.1 Infinite Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

4.2 Locating Vertical Asymptotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

5 Limits at Infinity 9

6 Limits of Power Functions at Infinity 10

7 Limits of Polynomial Functions at Infinity 10

7.1 Finding Horizontal Asymptotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

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1 Review: Limits

The concept of a Limit helps us to describe in a precise way the behavior of f (x) when x is close

to but not equal to a particular value c.

1.1 The Existence of a Limit - A Graphical Approach

For a limit to exist we must have the following:

1. lim− f (x) exists Left hand limit exists

x→c

2. lim+ f (x) exists Right hand limit exists

x→c

3. lim− f (x) = lim+ f (x) They are equal

x→c x→c

EXAMPLE 1

Let’s take a look at figure 6 on page 504 of text.

2 Continuity of a Function

A function f is continuous at the point x = c if:

1. lim f (x) exists The limit exists

x→c

2. f (c) exists The function value exists when x = c

3. lim f (x) = f (c) They are equal

x→c

If all three are satisfied we can say that the function is continuous at some particular value of x. In

this case x = c.
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EXAMPLE 2

A)

B) Let’s look at page 511 ques 9 and 10.

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3 Algebraic Approach

Many limits encountered in calculus are routine and can be evaluated quickly with a little algebraic

simplification using the basic properties of limits.

3.1 Properties of Limits

Know the properties of limits on page 505.

3.2 Limits of Polynomial and Rational Functions

1. lim f (x) = f (c) f any polynomial function

x→c

2. lim r(x) = r(c) r any rational function with a nonzero denominator at x = c

x→c

EXAMPLE 3

Evaluate the following limits:

1. lim (x + 5)
x→−4

x
2. lim
x→−3 x+5
√
3. lim 5x + 4
x→1

4. lim x(x + 3)
x→−1

5. lim 2(x + 5)
x→−1
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3.3 Indeterminate Forms

Definition
f (x) 0
If lim f (x) = 0 and lim g(x) = 0, then lim is said to be indeterminate or a indeterminate
x→c x→c x→c g(x) 0
form.

EXAMPLE 4

Find the following limit:

x+3
lim
x→−3 x2 + 3x

EXAMPLE 5

Do the following on page 512 ques 50

EXAMPLE 6

Let f(x) be defined as follows (ques 40 pg 512):



 2 + x if x ≤ 0

f (x) = find lim f (x)
 x→0
 2 − x if x > 0


EXAMPLE 7

Let f(x) be defined as follows (ques 41 pg 512):


 x2 if x < 1


f (x) = find lim f (x)
 x→1
 2x if x > 1

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3.4 Continuity Properties

EXAMPLE 8

Determine where the following functions are continuous

1. f (x) = 3x − 4

√
2. f (x) = x−6

√
3
3. h(x) = 5−x

√
4. f (x) = x2 − 9

x
5. f (x) =
x2 + 3x − 4
1
6. f (x) = + 4x + 6
2x
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4 Infinite Limits and Limits at Infinity

In this section we consider two types of limits:

1. Infinite Limits

2. Limits at Infinity

• Infinite Limits and Vertical Asymptotes are used to analyze the behavior of a function that

is unbounded near x = a.

• Limits at Infinity and Horizontal Asymptotes are used to describe the behavior of a function

as x assumes arbitrarily large positive values or arbitrarily large negative values.

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4.1 Infinite Limits

• Any situation in which a limit fails to exist involves functions whose values become extremely

large as x approaches a.

• The special symbol ∞ is used to describe this type of behavior.

1
Consider the function f (x) = which is discontinuous at x = 0.
x

=⇒ As x approaches 0 from the right, the values of f (x) are positive and become larger and larger,

that is f (x) increases without bound. We express this behavior symbolically as:
1
f (x) = −→ ∞ as x −→ 0+
x
Since ∞ is not a real number, the limit does not exist (DNE).

=⇒ If x approaches 0 from the left, the values of f (x) are negative and become larger and larger

in absolute value. We express this behavior symbolically as:

1
f (x) = −→ −∞ as x −→ 0−
x

1 1
=⇒ So we have: lim+ = ∞ and lim− = −∞
x→0 x x→0 x

1
=⇒ Then we say that lim Does Not Exist.
x→0 x
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4.2 Locating Vertical Asymptotes

How do we locate vertical asymptotes?

• If a function f is continuous at x = a then,

lim f (x) = lim+ f (x) = lim− f (x) = f (a)

x→a x→a x→a

Since all the limits exist and are finite f cannot have a vertical asymptote at x = a.

• In order for f to have a vertical asymptote at x = a, at least one of the limits must be an

infinite limit and f must be discontinuous at x = a.

• We know that polynomial functions are continuous for all real numbers, so a polynomial has

no vertical asymptotes.

• Since a rational function is discontinuous at the zeroes of its denominator, a vertical asymptote

of a rational function can occur only at a zero of its denominator.

THEOREM

n(x)
• If f (x) = is a rational function and d(c) = 0 and n(c) 6= 0 then the line x = c is a
d(x)
vertical asymptote of the graph of f .

n(x)
• If f (x) = and both n(c) = 0 and d(c) = 0 then the limit of f (x) as x approaches c
d(x)
involves an indeterminate form and this Theorem does not apply.

EXAMPLE 9 (example 1 pg 527)

x2 + x − 2
f (x) =
x2 − 1
Describe the behavior of f at each point of discontinuity. Use ∞ and −∞ when appropriate.

Identify all vertical asymptotes.

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5 Limits at Infinity

• The symbol ∞ can also be also be used to indicate that an independent variable is increasing

or decreasing without bound.

• We will write x −→ ∞ to indicate x is increasing without bound through positive values.

• We will write x −→ −∞ to indicate x is decreasing without bound through negative values.

1
Let’s consider the power functions of the form xp and .
xp
=⇒ xp −→ ∞ as x −→ ∞ or lim xp = ∞
x→∞

1 1
=⇒ −→ 0 as x −→ ∞ or lim =0
xp x→∞ xp

Limits of power forms as x decreases without bound behave in a similar manner, with two important

differences.

1. If x is negative, then xp is not defined for all values of p.

2. If xp is defined, then it may approach ∞ or −∞ depending on the value of p.

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6 Limits of Power Functions at Infinity

See page 530 Theorem 2

7 Limits of Polynomial Functions at Infinity

If p(x) = an xn + an−1 xn−1 + · · · + a1 x + a0 , an 6= 0, n ≥ 1 then

+
lim p(x) = lim an xn =− ∞ and
x→∞ x→∞

+
lim p(x) = lim an xn =− ∞
x→−∞ x→−∞

• Each limit will be either −∞ or ∞ depending on an and n.

• So the behavior of p(x) for large values is the same as the behavior of the highest degree

term.
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7.1 Finding Horizontal Asymptotes

• A polynomial of degree zero is a constant c and its limit as x approaches ∞ is the number

of the constant c.

• Polynomials of degree 1 or greater never have horizontal asymptotes.

• A rational function is a ratio of two polynomials. We can use reciprocals of powers of x

to analyze limits of rational functions at infinity.

• The behavior of a rational functionas x approaches infinity is determined by the ratio of

the highest degree term in the numerator to the highest degree term in the denominator.

• There are three possible outcomes: Theorem 4 on page 533 generalizes these results.

1)If the highest power in the numerator is the same as the highest power in the denom-

inator then the limit will be the ratio of their coefficients.

2) If the highest power in the numerator is less than the highest power in the denominator

then: lim f (x) = lim f (x) = 0 and the line y = 0 (the x axis) is a horizontal asymptote
x→∞ x→−∞

of f (x).

3) If the highest power in the numerator is greater than the highest power in the denom-

inator then each limit will be ∞ or −∞ depending on the highest powers of the rational

function and their coefficients and therefore f (x) does not have a horizontal asymptote.

EXAMPLE 10

See example 5 page 533