INFINITE LIMITS

AND
LIMITS AT INFINITY
Infinite Limits
Infinite Limit Theorem 1

Let n be any positive integer. Then

1
𝑎. lim+ 𝑛 = +∞
𝑥→0 𝑥

1 −∞ 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑑𝑑
𝑏. lim− 𝑛 = ቊ
𝑥→0 𝑥 +∞ 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛
Examples:

1
1. lim 2 =?
𝑥→0 𝑥

Solution:

1 1 1
a. lim+ 2 = = = +∞
𝑥→0 𝑥 (0.01)2 0.0001

1 1 1
b. lim− 2 = = = +∞
𝑥→0 𝑥 (−0.01)2 0.0001

𝟏
* Therefore 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝟐 = +∞.
𝒙→𝟎 𝒙
 1
2. lim− =?
𝑥→2 𝑥 − 2

Solution:

1 1 1
a. lim− = = = −10
𝑥→2 𝑥 − 2 1.9 − 2 −0.1

𝟏
* Therefore 𝒍𝒊𝒎− = −∞.
𝒙→𝟐 𝒙 − 𝟐
 5
3. lim+ =?
𝑥→3 𝑥 − 3

Solution:

5 5 5
a. lim+ = = = +50
𝑥→3 𝑥 − 3 3.1 −3 0.1

𝟓
* Therefore 𝒍𝒊𝒎+ = +∞.
𝒙→𝟑 𝒙 − 𝟑
Infinite Limit Theorem 2

𝑓(𝑥)
Let c be any real number. Suppose in lim ,
𝑥→𝑐 𝑔(𝑥)

lim 𝑔 𝑥 = 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑘,where k is a real number and 𝑘 ≠ 0.

𝑓(𝑥)
a. If 𝑘 > 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔 𝑥 → 0 through positive values, then lim = +∞.
𝑥→𝑐 𝑔(𝑥)

𝑓(𝑥)
b. If 𝑘 > 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔 𝑥 → 0 through negative values, then lim = −∞.
𝑥→𝑐 𝑔(𝑥)

𝑓(𝑥)
c. If 𝑘 < 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔 𝑥 → 0 through positive values, then lim = −∞.
𝑥→𝑐 𝑔(𝑥)

𝑓(𝑥)
d. If 𝑘 < 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔 𝑥 → 0 through negative values, then lim = +∞.
𝑥→𝑐 𝑔(𝑥)
Examples:
15
1. lim − =?
𝑥→−4 𝑥+4

Solution:

15 15 15
a. lim − = = = −150
𝑥→−4 𝑥+4 −4.1+4 −0.1

𝟏𝟓 𝟏𝟓
* Therefore 𝒍𝒊𝒎− = = −∞.
𝒙→−𝟒 𝒙+𝟒 →𝟎−
 −9
2. lim− =?
𝑥→2 𝑥+2

Solution:

−9 −9 −9
a. lim− = = = +90
𝑥→2 𝑥+2 −2.1+ 2 −0.1

−9 −9
* Therefore lim− = = +∞.
𝑥→2 𝑥 + 2 →0−
 2𝑥 −1
3. lim + =?
𝑥→−2 𝑥+2

Solution:

2𝑥 −1 2 −2 −1 −5
a. lim + = = = −∞
𝑥→−2 𝑥+2 −2 + 2 →0+

2𝑥 −1
* Therefore lim + = −∞.
𝑥→−2 𝑥+2
 𝑥3
4. lim− =?
𝑥→3 𝑥 − 3 2

Solution:

𝑥3 33 27
a. lim− = = = +∞
𝑥→3 𝑥 − 3 2 (3−3)2 →0+

𝑥3
* Therefore lim− = +∞.
𝑥→3 𝑥 − 3 2
Exercises:
Evaluate the following:
5𝑥 2
1. lim+
𝑥→4 16 −𝑥 2

5 −𝑥
2. lim−
𝑥→1 3𝑥 −3

2𝑥 5
3. lim+
𝑥→1 1+𝑥 2

8𝑥 4
4. lim+ 2
𝑥→1 𝑥 −1
Limits at Infinity
Limit at Infinity Theorem 1

Let r be any positive integer. Then

1
a. lim 2 =0
𝑥→+∞ 𝑟

1
b. lim 2 =0
𝑥→−∞ 𝑟
Limit at Infinity Theorem 2

Let n be a positive real number and k, any real number except 0. Then

𝑘
a. lim =0
𝑥→+∞ 𝑥 𝑛

𝑘
b. lim 𝑛 =0
𝑥→−∞ 𝑥

+∞ if 𝑘>0
c. lim 𝑘 ∙ 𝑥 𝑛 = ቊ
𝑥→+∞ −∞ if 𝑘<0

+∞ if 𝑘 > 0 and 𝑛 is even or

1
b. lim
𝑥→−∞ 𝑥 8

3
c. lim 4
𝑥→+∞ 𝑥

−2
d. lim
𝑥→−∞ 3𝑥 3

e. lim 5𝑥 4
𝑥→+∞

f. lim 11𝑥 5
𝑥→−∞
Limit at Infinity Theorem 3

𝑓(𝑥)
Let ℎ 𝑥 = , where 𝑓 𝑥 and 𝑔 𝑥 are polynomials.
𝑔(𝑥)

a. If the degree of 𝑓 𝑥 is less than the degree of 𝑔(𝑥), then

𝑓(𝑥) 𝑓(𝑥)
lim =0 lim =0
𝑥→+∞ 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑥→−∞ 𝑔(𝑥)

b. If the degree of 𝑓 𝑥 is equal to the degree of 𝑔(𝑥), and a is the leading

𝑓(𝑥) 𝑎 𝑓(𝑥) 𝑎
lim = lim =
𝑥→+∞ 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑏 𝑥→−∞ 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑏

c. If the degree of 𝑓 𝑥 is greater than the degree of 𝑔(𝑥), then

𝑓(𝑥) 𝑓(𝑥)
lim = +∞ 𝑜𝑟 − ∞ lim = +∞ 𝑜𝑟 − ∞
𝑥→+∞ 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑥→−∞ 𝑔(𝑥)
Examples:
𝑥4
1. lim 5
𝑥→−∞ 5𝑥

−9𝑥 5
2. lim
𝑥→+∞ 𝑥 2

12𝑦 4
3. lim
𝑥→+∞ 15𝑦 4
 3𝑥 4 − 5𝑥 3 +2𝑥
4. lim
𝑥→+∞ 2𝑥 5 + 4𝑥 2 −7

Step 1. Factor out the highest-degree term from the

5 2
3𝑥 4 − 5𝑥 3 +2𝑥 3𝑥 4 1− + 3
3𝑥 3𝑥
lim = lim 2 7
𝑥→+∞ 2𝑥 5 + 4𝑥 2 −7 𝑥→+∞ 2𝑥 5 1+ 3− 5
𝑥 2𝑥
 5 2
3𝑥 4 − 5𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 3𝑥 4 1 − +
3𝑥 3𝑥 3
lim = lim
5 2
𝑥→+∞ 2𝑥 + 4𝑥 − 7 𝑥→+∞ 2 7
2𝑥 5 1+ 3+
𝑥 2𝑥 5
Step 2. Apply the appropriate Limit Theorems and Limit at
Infinity Theorem 2,
5 2 2 7
Since: lim = 0, lim = 0, lim 3 = 0, lim =0
𝑥→+∞ 3𝑥 𝑥→+∞ 3𝑥 3 𝑥→+∞ 𝑥 𝑥→+∞ 2𝑥 5

3𝑥 4 − 5𝑥 3 +2𝑥 3𝑥 4 (1 −0 + 0) 3𝑥 4
Then: lim = lim = lim
𝑥→+∞ 2𝑥 5 + 4𝑥 2 −7 5
𝑥→+∞ 2𝑥 (1+ 0 −0 ) 𝑥→+∞ 2𝑥 5

3
= lim =𝟎
𝑥→+∞ 2𝑥
 5𝑥 3 + 16𝑥 2 −10
5. lim
𝑥→−∞ 12𝑥 3 + 𝑥 + 28

Step 1. Factor out the highest-degree term from the

16 10
5𝑥 3 + 16𝑥 2
−10 5𝑥 3 1 + − 3
5𝑥 5𝑥
lim = lim 1 28
𝑥→−∞ 12𝑥 3 + 𝑥 + 28 𝑥→−∞ 12𝑥 3 1+ +
12𝑥2 12𝑥3
 16 10
5𝑥 3
+ 16𝑥 2
− 10 5𝑥 3 1 + −
lim = lim
5𝑥 5𝑥 3
𝑥→−∞ 3
12𝑥 + 𝑥 + 28 𝑥→−∞ 1 28
12𝑥 3 1+ +
12𝑥 2 12𝑥 3
Step 2. Apply the appropriate Limit Theorems and Limit at Infinity
Theorem 2,

16 10 1 28
Since: lim = 0, lim = 0, lim = 0, lim =0
𝑥→−∞ 5𝑥 𝑥→−∞ 5𝑥 3 𝑥→−∞ 12𝑥 2 𝑥→−∞ 12𝑥 3

5𝑥 3 + 16𝑥 2 −10 5𝑥 3 (1+ 0 − 0) 5𝑥 3

5 𝟓
= lim =
𝑥→−∞ 12 𝟏𝟐