Limit of a Function
&
Theorems on Limits
Meaning of “𝒙 approaches Zero” (𝒙 ⟶ 𝟎)
Suppose a variable 𝒙 assumes in succession a series of values as
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
𝟏, , , , ,… i.e., 𝟏, , 𝟐 , 𝟑 , 𝟒 ,… , 𝒏 ,…
𝟐 𝟒 𝟖 𝟏𝟔 𝟐 𝟐 𝟐 𝟐 𝟐
We notice that 𝒙 is becoming smaller and smaller as 𝒏 increases. This unending decrease of 𝒙 is
symbolically written as 𝒙 ⟶ 𝟎 and is read as “𝒙 approaches zero” or “𝒙 tends to zero”
Note:
▪ The symbol 𝒙 ⟶ 𝟎 is quite different from 𝒙 = 𝟎 .
▪ 𝒙 ⟶ 𝟎 means that 𝒙 is very close to zero but not actually zero.
▪ 𝒙 = 𝟎 means that 𝒙 is actually zero.
Meaning of “𝒙 approaches Infinity” (𝒙 ⟶ ∞)
Suppose a variable x assumes in succession a series of values as
𝟏 , 𝟏𝟎 , 𝟏𝟎𝟎 , 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 , 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎 … . i.e., 𝟏, 𝟏𝟎, 𝟏𝟎𝟐 , 𝟏𝟎𝟑 … … . , 𝟏𝟎𝒏 , …
It is clear that 𝒙 is becoming larger and larger as 𝒏 increases and can be made as large
as we please by taking 𝒏 sufficiently large. This unending increase of 𝒙 is symbolically
written as ′′𝒙 ⟶ ∞′′ and is read as ‘’𝒙 approaches infinity” or “𝒙 tends to infinity”
Meaning of “𝒙 approaches a” (𝒙 ⟶ 𝒂)
Symbolically it is written as “𝒙 ⟶ 𝒂 ” which means that 𝒙 is sufficiently close to but
different from the number 𝒂, from both the left and right sides of a i.e; 𝒙 − 𝒂 becomes
smaller and smaller as we please but 𝒙 − 𝒂 ≠ 𝟎
Concept of Limit of a Function
Consider the function 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒙𝟑 The domain of 𝒇(𝒙) is the set of all real numbers. Let us find the limit of
𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒙𝟑 as 𝒙 approaches 𝟐.
The table of values of 𝒇(𝒙) for different values of 𝒙 as 𝒙 approaches 𝟐 from left and right is as follows:
From left of 𝟐 ⟶ 𝟐 ⟵ from right of 𝟐
The table shows that, as 𝒙 gets closer and closer to 𝟐 (sufficiently close to 𝟐), from both sides, 𝒇(𝒙) gets
closer and closer to 𝟖. We say that 𝟖 is the limit of 𝒇(𝒙) when 𝒙 approaches 𝟐 and is written as:
𝒇 𝒙 ⟶ 𝟖 as 𝒙 ⟶ 𝟐 or 𝐥𝐢𝐦(𝒙𝟑) = 𝟖
𝒙→𝟐
Limit of a Function
If, as 𝒙 approaches “𝒂” from both left and right side of “𝒂”,
𝒇(𝒙) approaches a specific number “𝑳”
then “𝑳”, is called the limit of 𝒇(𝒙) as 𝒙 approaches a.
Symbolically it is written as:
lim 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝑳
𝒙→𝒂
Theorems on Limits of Functions
If 𝒇 and 𝒈 are two functions and 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝑳 and 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈 𝒙 = 𝑴 then,
𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂
Theorem 1: The limit of the sum of two functions is equal to the sum of their limits.
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 + 𝒈 𝒙 = 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 + 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒈 𝒙 = 𝑳 + 𝑴
𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂
For Example:
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒙 + 𝟓 = 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒙 + 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝟓 = 𝟏 + 𝟓 = 𝟔
𝒙→𝟏 𝒙→𝟏 𝒙→𝟏
Theorems on Limits of Functions
Theorem 2:
The limit of the difference of two functions is equal to the difference of their limits.
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 − 𝒈 𝒙 = 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 − 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒈 𝒙 = 𝑳 − 𝑴
𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂
Example:
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒙 − 𝟓 = 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒙 − 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝟓 = 𝟑 − 𝟓 = −𝟐
𝒙→𝟑 𝒙→𝟑 𝒙→𝟑
Theorems on Limits of Functions
Theorem 3: If 𝒌 is any real number, then
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒌𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒌 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒌𝑳
𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂
Example:
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝟑𝒙 = 𝟑 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒙 = 𝟑 𝟑 = 𝟗
𝒙→𝟐 𝒙→𝟑
Theorems on Limits of Functions
Theorem 4:
The limit of the product of the functions is equal to the product of their limits
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 𝒈 𝒙 = 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒈 𝒙 = 𝑳𝑴
𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂
Example:
𝒍𝒊𝒎 (𝟐𝒙)(𝒙 + 𝟒) = 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝟐𝒙 𝒍𝒊𝒎(𝒙 + 𝟒) = (𝟐)(𝟓) = 𝟏𝟎
𝒙→𝟏 𝒙→𝟏 𝒙→𝟏
Theorems on Limits of Functions
Theorem 5:
The limit of the quotient of the functions is equal to the quotient of their limits
provided the limit of the denominator is non-zero
𝒇 𝒙 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 𝑳
𝒙→𝒂
𝒍𝒊𝒎 = = 𝐠 𝒙 ≠ 𝟎,𝑴 ≠ 𝟎
𝒙→𝒂 𝒈 𝒙 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒈 𝒙 𝑴
𝒙→𝒂
𝟑𝒙+𝟒 𝒍𝒊𝒎(𝟑𝒙+𝟒) 𝟔+𝟒 𝟏𝟎
Example: 𝒍𝒊𝒎 = 𝒙→𝒂
= = =𝟐
𝒙→𝟐 𝒙+𝟑 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒈 𝒙+𝟑 𝟐+𝟑 𝟓
𝒙→𝒂
Theorems on Limits of Functions
Theorem 6: Limit of [𝒇(𝒙)] , where n is an integer
𝒏
𝒏 𝒏 𝒏
𝒍𝒊𝒎[𝒇(𝒙)] = [lim 𝒇(𝒙)] = 𝑳
𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂
Example:
𝒍𝒊𝒎[𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑]𝟑 = [lim (𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑)]𝟑 = [𝟖 − 𝟑]𝟑 = (𝟓)𝟑 = 𝟏𝟐𝟓
𝒙→𝟒 𝒙→𝟒
𝟎
How to handle 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦
𝟎
0
If, by substituting the number that x approaches, into the function, we get , then we
0
evaluate the limit as follows:
We simplify the given function by using algebraic techniques of making factors if
possible and cancel the common factors. The method is explained in the next
examples:
𝒙2 − 𝟏
Evaluate lim 2
𝒙→𝟏 𝒙 − 𝒙
Solution:
𝒙2 − 𝟏 𝟎
lim 2 = form
𝒙→𝟏 𝒙 − 𝒙 𝟎
𝒙2 − 𝟏 𝒙−𝟏 𝒙+𝟏
(By making factors) lim 2 = lim
𝒙→𝟏 𝒙 − 𝒙 𝒙→𝟏 𝒙 𝒙−𝟏
𝒙 + 𝟏 𝟏 + 𝟏
= lim = = 𝟐
𝒙→𝟏 𝒙 𝟏
𝒙+𝒂 − 𝒂 𝟏
Evaluate 𝐥𝐢𝐦 =
𝒙→𝟎 𝒙 𝟐 𝒂
Solution:
𝟎
By substituting 𝒙 = 𝟎, we have form, so rationalizing the numerator
𝟎
𝒙+𝒂 − 𝒂 𝒙+𝒂 − 𝒂 𝒙+𝒂+ 𝒂
𝐥𝐢𝐦 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝒙→𝟎 𝒙 𝒙→𝟎 𝒙 𝒙+𝒂+ 𝒂
𝒙+𝒂−𝒂 𝒙
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = lim
𝒙→𝟎 𝒙 𝒙+𝒂+ 𝒂 𝒙→𝟎 𝒙 𝒙+𝒂+ 𝒂
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
= lim = + =
𝒙→𝟎 𝒙+𝒂+ 𝒂 𝒂 𝒂 𝟐 𝒂
Limits at infinity
(a)Limit as 𝒙 ⟶ ∞
𝟏
Let 𝒇 𝒙 = when 𝒙 ≠ 𝟎 ,this function has the property that the value of 𝒇(𝒙) can be made close to
𝒙
zero when the number 𝒙 is sufficiently large.
𝟏
We express this phenomenon by writing 𝐥𝐢𝐦 =𝟎
𝒙→∞ 𝒙
(b) Limit as 𝒙 ⟶ − ∞
This type of limits are handled in the same way as limits as 𝒙 ⟶ +∞.
𝟏
𝐥𝐢𝐦 = 𝟎 where 𝒙 ≠ 𝟎
𝒙→∞ 𝒙
𝟓𝒙𝟒 − 𝟏𝟎𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏
Evaluate 𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝒙→+∞ −𝟑𝒙𝟑 + 𝟏𝟎𝒙𝟐 + 𝟓𝟎
Solution:
Dividing up and down by 𝒙³
𝟏𝟎 𝟏
𝟓𝒙 − + 𝟑
we get 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒙 𝒙
𝟏𝟎 𝟓𝟎
𝒙→+∞ −𝟑 + + 𝟑
𝒙 𝒙
∞ − 𝟎 + 𝟎
=
−𝟑 + 𝟎 + 𝟎
∞
= = ∞
−𝟑
𝟒𝒙𝟒 −𝟓𝒙𝟑
Evaluate 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝟓 𝟐
𝒙→−∞ 𝟑𝒙 +𝟐𝒙 +𝟏
Solution:
Since 𝒙 < 𝟎, Dividing up and down by −𝒙𝟓
𝟒 𝟓
− + 𝟐
we get 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒙 𝒙
𝟐 𝟏
𝒙→−∞ −𝟑 − 𝟑 − 5
𝒙 𝒙
𝟎+ 𝟎
=
−𝟑 − 𝟎 − 𝟎
𝟎
= =𝟎
−𝟑
Important Result to Remember
𝟏 𝒙 ➢ 𝐥𝐢𝐦 (𝒆𝒙 ) = ∞
➢ 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝟏 + =𝒆 𝒙→∞
𝒙→+∞ 𝒙
𝟏
➢ 𝒍𝒊𝒎 (𝒆𝒙 ) = 𝟎
➢ 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝟏 + 𝒙 𝒙 =𝒆 𝒙→−∞
𝒙→𝟎
𝒂𝒙 −𝟏 𝒂
➢ 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = log 𝒆 𝒂 ➢ 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = 𝟎 (Where a is any number)
𝒙→𝟎 𝒙 𝒙→±∞ 𝒙
𝒆𝒙 −𝟏
➢ 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = log 𝒆 𝒆 = 𝟏 ➢ 𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜽
=𝟏
𝒙→𝟎 𝒙
𝜽→𝟎 𝜽
Express the given limit in terms of the number ‘𝒆’
𝟏
lim 𝟏 + 𝟐𝒉 𝒉
𝒉→𝟎
Solution:
𝟏
Observe the resemblance of the limit with lim 𝟏 + 𝒙 𝒙 = 𝒆
𝒙→𝟎
𝟏 𝟏 𝟐 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒎 = 𝟐𝒉
lim 𝟏 + 𝟐𝒉 𝒉 = lim 𝟏 + 𝟐𝒉 𝟐𝒉 ∵ ቐ𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒉 → 𝟎
𝒉→𝟎 𝒉→𝟎
𝒎→𝟎
𝟐
𝟏
𝟐
= lim 𝟏+𝒎 𝒎 =𝒆
𝒎→𝟎
The Sandwitch Theorem
Let 𝒇, 𝒈 and 𝒉 be functions such that
𝒈 𝒙 ≤ 𝒇 𝒙 ≤ 𝒉(𝒙)
for all numbers 𝒙 in some open interval
containing “𝒄”, except possibly at 𝒄 itself.
If 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝑳 and 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒉(𝒙) = 𝑳
𝒙→𝒄 𝒙→𝒄
then 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝑳
𝒙→𝒄
The Sandwitch Theorem
𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟕𝜽
Evaluate: 𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝜽→𝟎 𝜽
Solution:
𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝜽
Observe the resemblance of the limit with 𝐥𝐢𝐦 =𝟏
𝜽→𝟎 𝜽
𝒙
Let 𝒙 = 𝟕𝜽, so that 𝜽 =
𝟕
When 𝜽 → 𝟎, we have 𝒙 → 𝟎
𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟕𝜽 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝒙 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝒙
∴ 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒙 = 𝟕 𝒍𝒊𝒎 =𝟕 𝟏 =𝟕
𝜽→𝟎 𝜽 𝒙→𝟎 𝒙→𝟎 𝒙
𝟕
𝟏 −𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝜽
Evaluate: 𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝜽→𝟎 𝜽
Solution:
𝟏 −𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝜽 𝟏 −𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝜽 𝟏 +𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝜽
=
𝜽 𝜽 𝟏 +𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝜽
𝟏 − 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝟐 𝜽 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝟐 𝜽 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝜽 𝟏
= = = 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝜽
𝜽 𝟏 + 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝜽 𝜽 𝟏 + 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝜽 𝜽 𝟏 + 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝜽
𝟏 − 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝜽 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜽 𝟏
∴ 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝜽 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒍𝒊𝒎
𝜽→𝟎 𝜽 𝜽→𝟎 𝜽→𝟎 𝜽 𝜽→𝟎 𝟏 + 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝜽
𝟏
= 𝟎 𝟏 =𝟎
𝟏+𝟏
THANK YOU
