LIMITS INVOLVING INFINITY
Limits Involving Infinity
Limits Involving Infinity
If the values of the function 𝑓(𝑥) approach the number
𝐿 as 𝑥 increases without bound, we write
lim (𝑓𝑥) = 𝐿
𝑥→+∞
similarly, we write
lim (𝑓𝑥) = 𝑀
𝑥→−∞
when the functional values 𝑓 𝑥 approach the
number 𝑀 as 𝑥 decreases without bound.
The lines 𝑦 = 𝐿 and 𝑦 = 𝑀 are the horizontal
asymptotes of the graph of 𝑓(𝑥).
Limits Involving Infinity
Reciprocal Power Rules
If 𝐴 and 𝑘 are constants with 𝑘 > 0 and 𝑥 𝑘 is
defined for all 𝑥, then
𝐴 𝐴
lim 𝑘 = 0 and lim 𝑘 =0
𝑥→+∞ 𝑥 𝑥→−∞ 𝑥
Limits Involving Infinity
Theorem:
1
(i) lim =0
x→∞ x
1
(ii) lim =0
x→+∞ x
1
(iii) lim x =0
x→−∞
Limits Involving Infinity
2
𝑥
lim
𝑥→+∞ 2𝑥 2 + 𝑥 + 1
▪ Evaluate the function:
Let 𝑥 = 100, 1 000, 10 000, 100 000
𝑓 𝑥 =
▪ Analytically: Divide each term in 𝑓(𝑥) by the highest
power that appears in the denominator.
𝑥 2 /𝑥 2
lim
𝑥→+∞ 2𝑥 2 /𝑥 2 + 𝑥/𝑥 2 + 1/𝑥 2
1
lim
𝑥→+∞ 1 0 1 0
2+𝑥+ 2
𝑥
1 1
lim = = 0.5
𝑥→+∞ 2 + 0 + 0 2
𝑥2
𝑓 𝑥 = 2
2𝑥 + 𝑥 + 1
Rules Involving Infinite Limits
Sum/Difference Involving Infinite Limits
L + ∞=+∞ L - ∞=-∞
Product Involving Infinite Limits
L ∙ +∞ = +∞ L ∙ -∞ = -∞
Example:
4𝑥 2 −5𝑥+5
1. lim
𝑥→+∞ 6𝑥 2 +2𝑥−1
4𝑥2 5𝑥 5
− +
𝑥2 𝑥2 𝑥2
= 6𝑥2 2𝑥 1
+ −
𝑥2 𝑥2 𝑥2
0 0
5 5
4 − + 2
𝑥 𝑥
= 2 0 1 0
6 + − 2
𝑥 𝑥
4 −0+0 2
= =
6+ 0 − 0 3
−𝑥 3 − 6𝑥 − 2
2. lim
𝑥→ +∞ 2𝑥 − 1
−𝑥3 6𝑥 2
𝑥
− 𝑥 − 𝑥
= 2𝑥 1
𝑥
− 𝑥
2
−𝑥 2 − 6 − 𝑥
= 1
2 −
𝑥
2
− Ꝏ − 6 −0 −Ꝏ
= =
2−0 2
=−Ꝏ The limit does not exist
4𝑥2 5𝑥 7
4𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 − 7 𝑥3
−
𝑥3
−
𝑥3
3. lim = 2𝑥3
𝑥 → −∞ 2𝑥 3 − 1 −
1
𝑥3 𝑥3
4 5 7
− − 3
𝑥2
= 𝑥 𝑥
1
2 − 3
𝑥
0 0 0
4 5 7
− −
−∞ −∞ 2 −∞ 3
= 1 0
2−
−∞ 3
0 −0 +0
= 2+0
= 0
SUMMARY: Limits to infinity
1. If the degree of the numerator is less than the denominator’s, limit is
ZERO (0).
𝟑𝒙𝟐 +𝟓𝒙+𝟒
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒙𝟑 +𝟕𝒙 = 𝟎
𝒙→∞
2. If the degree of the numerator is greater than the denominator’s,
limit is +/- ∞ or the limit does not exist(DNE).
𝒙𝟒 +𝒙
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝟓𝒙𝟑 +𝟕 = −∞ or DNE
𝒙 → −∞
3. If the degree of the numerator is the same as the denominator’s, the
limit is equal to the constants in front of the X of the highest degree.
−𝟑𝒙𝟓 +𝟐𝒙𝟐 𝟑
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝟕𝒙𝟓 −𝟔𝒙 = −𝟕
𝒙→∞
Infinite Limits
If 𝑓(𝑥) increases or decreases without bound as
𝑥 → 𝑐 then we say that lim 𝑓(𝑥) is an infinite
𝑥→𝑐
limit.
(1) lim 𝑓 𝑥 = +∞
𝑥→𝑐
▪ 𝑓(𝑥) increases without bound
(2) lim 𝑓(𝑥) = −∞
𝑥→𝑐
▪ 𝑓(𝑥) decreases without bound
Evaluating One – Sided Limits
Theorem
1
lim+ n = +
x →o x
1 + if n is even
lim− n =
x →o x − if n is odd
After simplifications, and the
fraction is still of the form:
" something"
Then evaluate:
0
lim− f ( x) = +or −
x →c
lim f ( x ) = +or −
x →c +
Note: for a limit to exist, one-sided
limits should be equal.
1
Evaluate: lim
x→ o x
1
lim−
x →o x
= − x -0.1 -0.0001
1/x -10 -10,000
lim+
1 = + x 0.1 0.0001
x →o x 1/x 10 10,000
1
lim = DNE
x→ o x
1
Evaluate: lim 2
x →o x
1
lim− 2 = + x -0.1 -0.0001
x →o x 1/x2 100 100,000,000
1 = + x 0.1 0.0001
lim+ 2 1/x2 100 100,000,000
x →o x
1
lim 2 = +
x →o x
Evaluate:
1
1. lim
x →o x 3
2.
1
lim 4
x→ o x
1
3. lim 9
x→ o x
Evaluate:
1
lim 2 + 2 = 2 + (+) = +
x →0
x
V.A. X=0
1 5
lim + 3 = 1 + DNE = DNE
x →0 x + 1
x
V.A. X = -1
X=0
Infinite Limits
Evaluate:
1
lim 2
𝑥→0 𝑥
x −1
lim − = +
x →( −5 ) x + 5
V.A. x = −5
x +4
2
lim− = −
x →1
x −1
V.A. x =1
Seat Work
Evaluate:
1.) lim 𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 + 7
𝑥→−∞
2𝑥 2 −3𝑥
2.) lim 6 + 4𝑥 2
𝑥→∞
4𝑥 +1
3.)lim
𝑥→0 𝑥
3𝑥 2 +4
4.) lim 3−4𝑥 2
𝑥→∞
3𝑥 2 + 4
5.) lim 3𝑥 + 10
𝑥→+∞
