USTP

MAT 111: Calculus 1

Lesson #2

Name:__________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule:___________________________________ Date: ______________

Lesson Title: LIMITS OF FUNCTIONS Materials: Ballpoint, Notebook, Calculator

Lesson Objectives: Textbook: Calculus by Ron Larson, 11th Ed.

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to: References:
1. Define Limits of Functions and Familiarize the 1. The Calculus 7 by Louis Leithold
Theorems 2. Differential and Integral Calculus
2. Evaluate the Limit of Functions by Clyde E. Love and Earl Rainville

Productivity Tip:
Successful people are not gifted. They just work hard,
then succeed on purpose. If you can’t figure out your
purpose, figure out your passion. For your passion will
lead you right into your purpose. Allow your passion to
become your purpose, and it will one day become your
profession.

A. LESSON PREVIEW/REVIEW

Introduction
GOOD DAY! The lesson is your springboard to calculus.
The following topics shall be accomplished in this module:
1. Define limits of functions and familiarize the theorems
2. Evaluate the limit of functions

1) Activity 1: What I Know Chart, part 1

What I Know Questions: What I Learned (Activity 4)

1 Any idea about limits of

functions?

2 How about the theorems on

limits?

3 Do you know how to evaluate

the limits of functions?

UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES

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USTP
MAT 111: Calculus 1
Lesson #2

Name:__________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule:___________________________________ Date: ______________

B. MAIN LESSON

DEFINITION OF A LIMIT

 Let 𝑓(𝑥) be a function of 𝑥 and let 𝑎 be constant. If there is a number 𝐿 such that, in order to
make the value of 𝑓(𝑥) as close to 𝐿 as may be desired. It is sufficient to choose 𝑥 close enough
to 𝑎, but different from 𝑎. Then we say that the limit of 𝑓(𝑥) as 𝑥 approaches 𝑎, is 𝐿.

 We write, lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿 , which is read . . . “the limit of 𝑓(𝑥) as 𝑥 approaches 𝑎, is 𝐿.”
→

 In finding the limit of a given expression, the first step is to substitute the value of 𝑎.
If the computed value is defined, then that is the limit;
If not, then other property may be tried.

 Let us consider lim (3𝑥 + 1) .

→
Here, 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 + 1 and the constant 𝑎, which 𝑥 will approach, is 2.

 To determine the limit of 𝑓(𝑥) as 𝑥 approaches 2. We will find the value of 𝑓(𝑥) . . .
as 𝑥 approaches 2 from the left, and,
as 𝑥 approaches 2 from the right.

 To do this, let us evaluate 𝑓(𝑥) for several values of 𝑥, near but not equal to 2.
To approach 2 from the left, we use values less than 2,
such as 𝑥 = 1.600, 1.700, 1.950, 1.999….
Whereas to approach 2 from the right, we use values greater than 2,
such as, 𝑥 = 2.400, 2.300, 2.100, 2.009….

The following table gives the values of 𝑓(𝑥) that corresponds to different values of 𝑥.
𝑥 1.600 1.700 1.950 1.999 2 2.009 2.100 2.300 2.400
𝑓(𝑥) 5.800 6.100 6.850 6.997 7.027 7.300 7.900 8.200

 The table shows that when 𝑥 is near 2, whether a little less or a little greater than 2,
𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 + 1 is nearer 7.

 In other words, “3𝑥 + 1 approaches the number 7 as a limit when 𝑥 approaches 2.”
The abbreviated symbolic form for this statement is,
3𝑥 + 1 → 7 𝑎𝑠 𝑥 → 2.

 We may also say that “the limit of 3𝑥 + 1 as 𝑥 approaches 2 is 7.”

In symbols, we write this as,

lim (3𝑥 + 1) = 7
→

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USTP
MAT 111: Calculus 1
Lesson #2

Name:__________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule:___________________________________ Date: ______________

THEOREMS ON LIMITS

We shall need theorems to evaluate the limits of functions. Examples are given for understanding.

Theorem 1: “The limit of a constant is equal to the constant itself”

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝑪 = 𝑪
𝒙→𝒂

Example: 1.1. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝟐 = 2

𝒙→𝟏

𝟏. 𝟐. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝟓 = 5
𝒙→𝟎

Theorem 2: “The limit of the variable x, as x approaches a constant a, is equal to a”

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒙 = 𝒂
𝒙→𝒂

Example: 2.1. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒙 = 1 Substitute 1 in x

𝒙→𝟏

2.2 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝑥 = (2) =4 Substitute 2 in x

𝒙→𝟏

Theorem 3: “The limit of the sum (algebraic sum) of two or more functions is equal to the
sum of their limits”
𝐥𝐢𝐦 [𝒇(𝒙) + 𝒈(𝒙)] = 𝒇(𝒙) + 𝒈(𝒙)
𝒙→𝒂

Example: 3.1 𝐥𝐢𝐦 (𝒙𝟐 + 𝟓) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒙𝟐 + 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝟓 Apply theorems 1, 2, 3

𝒙→𝟐 𝒙→𝟐 𝒙→𝟐
= 2 +5
= 9

3.2 𝐥𝐢𝐦 (3𝑥 + 4𝑥) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 3𝑥 + 𝐥𝐢𝐦 4𝑥 Apply theorems 1, 2, 3

𝒙→𝟏 𝒙→𝟏 𝒙→𝟏
= 3(1) + 4(1)
= 3+4
= 7

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USTP
MAT 111: Calculus 1
Lesson #2

Name:__________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule:___________________________________ Date: ______________

Theorem 4: The limit of the product of two or more functions is equal to the product of their
limits”
𝐥𝐢𝐦 [𝒇(𝒙) ∙ 𝒈(𝒙)] = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙)
𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂

Example: 4.1 Evaluate: 𝐥𝐢𝐦 (3𝑥 )(2𝑥 − 7)

𝒙→𝟒
Solution: 𝐥𝐢𝐦 (3𝑥 )(2𝑥 − 7) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 3𝑥 𝐥𝐢𝐦 (2𝑥 − 7)
𝒙→𝟒 𝒙→𝟒 𝒙→𝟒
= [3(4) ] [2(4) − 7] Substitute 4 in x
= (48)(1) Simplify
= 48

Theorem 5: “The limit of the quotient of two fractions is equal to their limits, provided
that the limit of the denominator is not zero”
𝒇(𝒙) 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙)
𝒙→𝒂
𝐥𝐢𝐦 = where: lim g(x)≠ 𝟎
𝒙→𝒂 𝒈(𝒙) 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙)
𝒙→𝒂

Example: 5.1 Evaluate 𝐥𝐢𝐦 ( )

𝒙→𝟑
𝐥𝐢𝐦 ( )
Solution: 𝐥𝐢𝐦 ( )= 𝒙→𝟑
𝐥𝐢𝐦 ( )
𝒙→𝟑 𝒙→𝟑
( )
= ( )
Substitute 3 in x
= Simplify
=

Example: 5.2 Evaluate 𝐥𝐢𝐦

𝒙→𝟏
Solution: 𝐥𝐢𝐦 =
𝒙→𝟏
= Substitute 1 in x
= Simplify
=5

Note that the limits of functions in the

above examples can be obtained by
straight substitution.

UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES

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USTP
MAT 111: Calculus 1
Lesson #2

Name:__________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule:___________________________________ Date: ______________

𝒙𝟑 𝒙𝟐 𝒙 𝟔
Example: 5.3 Evaluate 𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝒙 𝟐
𝒙→𝟐

Solution: Repeat the application of Theorems 1, 2, and 3,

lim =
→
= ,

The result is in the indeterminate form.

Hence, Theorem 5 cannot be applied at this stage.

In synthetic division of polynomials,

𝑥 = 2 is a zero of the function 𝑥 − 𝑥 + 𝑥 − 6
yields 𝑥 − 𝑥 + 𝑥 − 6 = (𝑥 − 2)(𝑥 + 𝑥 + 3).

By synthetic division:

1 −1 1 −6 Լ2
2 2 6
____________________
1 1 3 0

Recall that in the definition of a limit 𝑥 → 𝑎,

𝑥 is barred from taking on the value of 𝑎, that is 𝑥 ≠ 𝑎. For 𝑥 ≠ 2, then:

( ) .
lim = ( )
→
= 𝑥 +𝑥+3

Therefore, to evaluate the limit of the given function of this case, we proceed as follows:

( )( )
lim = lim ( )
→ →

= lim ( 𝑥 + 𝑥 + 3 )
→

= 2 +2+3 Substitute 2 in x
= 9 Simplify

𝟎
Note: The indeterminate form can be solved by L’Hopital’s Rule
𝟎

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USTP
MAT 111: Calculus 1
Lesson #2

Name:__________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule:___________________________________ Date: ______________

Example: 5.4 Evaluate lim

→

Solution: Repeat application of theorems 1, 2, and 3,

( ) ( )
Lim = ( ) ( )
→

= = indeterminate form.

Since, 𝑥 − 4𝑥 + 3 = 0 Theorem 5 cannot be applied.

The limit may be expressed as,
( )( )
lim = lim ( )( )
by factoring
→ →
( )
= lim ( )
→
=
=
=5
Thus, lim =5
→

√
Example: 5.5. Evaluate lim
→

√ √
Solution: lim = .
→

= indeterminate form

We rationalize the numerator by multiplying both the

numerator and the denominator by √𝑥 + 2 .

√ √ √
lim = lim ( )
→ → √
( )
= lim
→ ( )(√ )

=
√

=
√
Thus, lim =
→

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USTP
MAT 111: Calculus 1
Lesson #2

Name:__________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule:___________________________________ Date: ______________

Two special trigonometric limits (Calculus by Larson, p. 86)

Theorem 6: “ If α is measured in radians, lim =1

→

Theorem 7: lim = 0
→

Example: 6.1. Evaluate lim

→ 𝜃

( )( )
lim = lim ( )
→ 𝜃 →

Lim = lim 3 lim We take α = 3𝜃 in theorem 6,

→ 𝜃 → →
= 3(1)
= 3
Activity 3: Skill Building Activities

Evaluate the following:

1. lim (𝑥 + 2𝑥 − 7) 5. lim
→ →

2. lim (𝑥 + 5𝑥 − 3) 6. lim
→ →

3. lim (2𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 + 5𝑥 − 3) 7. lim

→ →

4. lim 8. lim
→ →

Activity 4: What I Know Chart, part 2

What I Learned
1. _________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

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USTP
MAT 111: Calculus 1
Lesson #2

Name:__________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule:___________________________________ Date: ______________

Activity 5: Check for Understanding

Evaluate the limits:
1. lim 2. lim
→ →

B. LESSON WRAP-UP

Activity 6: Thinking about Learning

A. Work Tracker

B. Think about your Learning

1. What motivated you to finish the lesson today?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. What could you have done better to improve your learning today?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

FAQs

1. Do all functions have limits?

Some functions do not have any kind of limit as x approaches to infinity. For example, consider
the function f(x) = x sin x. This function does not get close to any particular real number as x
gets large, because we can always use a value of x to make f(x) larger than any number we
choose.

2. What is the importance of limits?

Limits allow us to study a number from afar. That is, we can study the points around it so we can
better understand the given value we want to know. Especially in derivatives, where change in
position is purely relative, the points around a given value are critically important.

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