Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule L’Hospital’s Rule

Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule

L’Hospital’s Rule

Suppose f and g are differentiable and g 0 (x) 6= 0 near a (except possibly

at a). Suppose that

lim f (x) = 0 and lim g(x) = 0

x→a x→a

or that
lim f (x) = ±∞ and lim g(x) = ±∞
x→a x→a
0 ∞
(In other words, we have an indeterminate form of type 0 or ∞. )
Then
f (x) f 0 (x)
lim = lim 0
x→a g(x) x→a g (x)

if the limit on the right side exists (or is ∞ or −∞).

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 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule L’Hospital’s Rule

NOTE
L’Hospital’s Rule is also valid for one-sided limits and for limits at infinity
or negative infinity.

That is, “x → a” can be replaced by any of the following symbols:

x → a+ , x → a− , x → ∞, x → −∞.

MAT 1001 Calculus I 2 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule L’Hospital’s Rule

Example 1
ln x
Find lim .
x→1 x − 1

Solution.
Since
lim ln x = ln 1 = 0 and lim (x − 1) = 0
x→1 x→1

we can apply l’Hospital’s Rule:

d
ln x (ln x) 1/x
lim = lim dx = lim
x→1 x − 1 x→1 d x→1 1
(x − 1)
dx
1
= lim = 1
x→1 x

MAT 1001 Calculus I 3 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule L’Hospital’s Rule

Example 2
ex
Calculate lim .
x→∞ x2

Solution.
We have
lim ex = ∞ and lim x2 = ∞
x→∞ x→∞

so l’Hospital’s Rule gives

ex ex
lim = lim .
x→∞ x2 x→∞ 2x

Since ex → ∞ and 2x → ∞ as x → ∞, the limit on the right side is also

indeterminate, but a second application of L’Hospital’s Rule gives:
ex ex ex
lim = lim = lim =∞
x→∞ x2 x→∞ 2x x→∞ 2

MAT 1001 Calculus I 4 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule L’Hospital’s Rule

Example 3
ln x
Calculate lim √ .
x→∞ 3 x

Solution.
√
Since ln x → ∞ and 3
x → ∞ as x → ∞, L’Hospital’s Rule applies:
1
ln x x
lim √ = lim
x→∞ 3 x x→∞ 1 x−2/3
3

Notice that the limit on the right side is now indeterminate of type 00 . But
instead of applying L’Hospital’s Rule a second time as we did in previous
example, we simplify the expression and see that a second application is
unnecessary:
1
ln x x 3
lim √ = lim = lim √ =0
x→∞ 3 x x→∞ 1 x−2/3 x→∞ 3 x
3

MAT 1001 Calculus I 5 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule L’Hospital’s Rule

Example 4
tan x − x
Find lim .
x→0 x3

Solution.
Noting that both tan x − x → 0 and x3 → 0 as x → 0, we use
L’Hospital’s Rule:

tan x − x sec2 x − 1
lim = lim
x→0 x3 x→0 3x2

Since the limit on the right side is still indeterminate of type 00 , we apply
L’Hospital’s Rule again:

sec2 x − 1 2 sec2 x tan x

lim = lim
x→0 3x2 x→0 6x

MAT 1001 Calculus I 6 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule L’Hospital’s Rule

Solution (cont.)
Again both numerator and denominator approach, so a third application of
L’Hospital’s Rule is necessary. Putting together all three steps, we get

tan x − x sec2 x − 1 2 sec2 x tan x

lim = lim = lim
x→0 x3 x→0 3x2 x→0 6x
4 sec x tan x + 2 sec4 x
2 2 2 1
= lim = =
x→0 6 6 3

MAT 1001 Calculus I 7 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule L’Hospital’s Rule

Example 5
sin x
Find lim .
x→π − 1 − cos x

Solution.
If we blindly attempted to use l’Hospital’s Rule, we would get
sin x cos x
lim = lim = −∞
x→π − 1 − cos x x→π− sin x
This is wrong!

MAT 1001 Calculus I 8 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule L’Hospital’s Rule

Solution (cont.)
sin x
lim
x→π − 1 − cos x
Although the numerator sin x → 0 as x → π − , notice that the
denominator 1 − cos x does not approach 0, L’Hospital’s Rule can’t be
applied here.
The required limit is, in fact, easy to find because the function is
continuous and the denominator is nonzero at π:

sin x sin π 0
lim = = =0
x→π − 1 − cos x 1 − cos π 1 − (−1)

MAT 1001 Calculus I 9 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Indeterminate Products

Indeterminate Products

If, lim f (x) = 0 and lim g(x) = ∞(or − ∞) then it isn’t clear what
x→a x→a
the value of lim f (x)g(x), if any, will be.
x→a
This kind of limit is called an indeterminate form of type 0 · ∞.
We can deal with it by writing the product f · g as a quotient:
f g
f ·g = or f ·g =
1/g 1/f
0 ∞
This converts the given limit into an indeterminate form of type 0 or ∞ so
that we can use L’Hospital’s Rule.

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 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Indeterminate Products

Example 6
Evaluate lim x ln x.
x→0+

Solution.
The given limit is indeterminate because, as x → 0+ the first factor (x)
approaches 0 while the second factor (ln x) approaches −∞.
Writing x = 1/(1/x), we have 1/x → ∞ as x → 0+ .
So L’Hospital’s Rule gives
1
ln x
lim x ln x = lim = lim x
x→0+ x→0+ 1/x x→0+ −1
x2
= lim (−x) = 0.
x→0+

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 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Indeterminate Products

Note
In solving this example another possible option would have been to write
x
lim x ln x = lim .
x→0+ x→0+ 1/ ln x

This gives an indeterminate form of the type 00 , but if we apply l’Hospital’s

Rule we get a more complicated expression than the one we started with.
In general, when we rewrite an indeterminate product, we try to choose
the option that leads to the simpler limit.

MAT 1001 Calculus I 12 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Indeterminate Differences

Indeterminate Differences

If lim f (x) = ∞ and lim g(x) = ∞, then the limit

x→a x→a

lim [f (x) − g(x)]

x→a

is called an indeterminate form of type ∞ − ∞.

To find out, we try to convert the difference into a quotient (for instance,
by using a common denominator or rationalization, or factoring out a
∞
common factor) so that we have an indeterminate form of type 00 or ∞ .

MAT 1001 Calculus I 13 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Indeterminate Differences

Example 7
Compute lim (sec x − tan x).
x→(π/2)−

Solution.
First notice that sec x → ∞ and tan x → ∞ as x → (π/2)− , so the limit
is indeterminate. Here we use a common denominator:
 
1 sin x
lim (sec x − tan x) = lim −
x→(π/2)− x→(π/2)− cos x cos x
1 − sin x
= lim
x→(π/2) − cos x
− cos x
= lim =0
x→(π/2)− − sin x

Note that the use of l’Hospital’s Rule is justified because 1 − sin x → 0

and cos x → 0 as x → (π/2)− .

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 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Indeterminate Powers

Indeterminate Powers

Several indeterminate forms arise from the limit

lim [f (x)]g(x) .
x→a

type 00 : lim f (x) = 0 and lim g(x) = 0

x→a x→a

type ∞0 : lim f (x) = ∞ and lim g(x) = 0

x→a x→a

type 1∞ : lim f (x) = 1 and lim g(x) = ±∞

x→a x→a

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 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Indeterminate Powers

Each of these three cases can be treated either by taking the natural
logarithm:

let y = [f (x)]g(x) then ln y = g(x) ln f (x)

or by writing the function as an exponential:

[f (x)]g(x) = eg(x) ln f (x)

(Recall that both of these methods were used in differentiating such

functions.)
In either method we are led to the indeterminate product g(x) ln f (x),
which is of type 0 · ∞.

MAT 1001 Calculus I 16 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Indeterminate Powers

Example 8
Calculate lim (1 + sin 4x)cot x
x→0+

Solution.
First notice that as x → 0+ , we have

1 + sin 4x → 1 and cot x → ∞

so the given limit is indeterminate. Let

y = (1 + sin 4x)cot x

Then

ln y = ln[(1 + sin 4x)cot x ] = cot x · ln(1 + sin 4x)

ln(1 + sin 4x)
= .
tan x
MAT 1001 Calculus I 17 / 39
 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Indeterminate Powers

Solution (cont.)
 
ln(1 + sin 4x) 0
lim ln y = lim indeterminate
x→0 + x→0 + tan x 0
so L’Hospital’s Rule gives
4 cos 4x
1+sin 4x
= lim = 4.
x→0+ sec2 x
So far we have computed the limit of ln y, but what we want is the limit
of y. To find this we use the fact that y = eln y :

lim (1 + sin 4x)cot x = lim y = lim eln y = e4

x→0+ x→0+ x→0+

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 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Indeterminate Powers

Example 9
Find lim xx .
x→0+

Solution.
Notice that this limit is indeterminate since 0x = 0 for any x > 0 but
x0 = 1 for any x 6= 0.
We could proceed by writing the function as an exponential:

xx = (eln x )x = ex ln x .

Before we used L’Hospital’s Rule to show that limx→0+ x ln x = 0

Therefore
lim xx = lim ex ln x = e0 = 1.
x→0+ x→0+

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 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems

Optimization Problems

Steps in Optimization Problems

1 Understand the Problem. The first step is to read the problem
carefully until it is clearly understood. Ask yourself: What is the
unknown? What are the given quantities? What are the given
conditions?
2 Draw a Diagram. In most problems it is useful to draw a diagram and
identify the given and required quantities on the diagram.
3 Introduce Notation. Assign a symbol to the quantity that is to be
maximized or minimized (let’s call it Q for now). Also select symbols
for other unknown quantities and label the diagram with these
symbols (a, b, c, d, . . . , x, y). It may help to use initials as suggestive
symbols-for example, A for area, for h height, t for time.

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 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems

4 Express Q in terms of some of the other symbols from Step 3.

5 If Q has been expressed as a function of more than one variable in
Step 4, use the given information to find relationships (in the form of
equations) among these variables. Then use these equations to
eliminate all but one of the variables in the expression for Q. Thus, Q
will be expressed as a function of one variable, say, Q = f (x). Write
the domain of this function.
6 Find the absolute maximum or minimum value of f . In particular, if
the domain of f is a closed interval, then the Closed Interval Method
can be used.

MAT 1001 Calculus I 21 / 39

 help to use initials as suggestive symbols—for example, A for area, h for
Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems
height, t for time.
4. Express Q in terms of some of the other symbols from Step 3.
5. If Q has been expressed as a function of more than one variable in Step 4, use
Example 10 the given information to find relationships (in the form of equations) among
these variables. Then use these equations to eliminate all but one of the vari-
A farmer has 2400 m of fencing and wants to fence off a rectangular field
ables in the expression for Q. Thus, Q will be expressed as a function of one
variable x, say, Q 苷 f 共x兲. Write the domain of this function.
that borders a straight river. He needs no fence along the river. What are
6. Use the methods of Sections 4.2 and 4.3 to find the absolute maximum or
the dimensions of the field that has the largest area?
minimum value of f . In particular, if the domain of f is a closed interval, then
the Closed Interval Method in Section 4.2 can be used.

EXAMPLE 1 A farmer has 2400 ft of fencing and wants to fence off a rectangular field
Solution. that borders a straight river. He needs no fence along the river. What are the dimen-
sions of the field that has the largest area?
In order to get a feeling for what is happening in this problem, let’s
Understand the problem
■ SOLUTION In order to get a feeling for what is happening in this problem let’s experi-
experiment
Analogy: Trywith
■ some special
special cases cases.
ment with some specialFigure shows
cases. Figure 1 (not to three possible
scale) shows ways
three possible ways ofof
Draw diagrams
■ laying out the 2400 ft of fencing. We see that when we try shallow, wide fields or
laying out the 2400 m ofdeep,fencing. narrow fields, we get relatively small areas. It seems plausible that there is
some intermediate configuration that produces the largest area.

1000 400

1000 1000
2200 700 700
100 100

Area=100 · 2200=220,000 ft@ Area=700 · 1000=700,000 ft@ Area=1000 · 400=400,000 ft@

Area = 220 000 m2 Area = 700 000 m2 Area = 400 000 m2
FIGURE 1 Figure 2 illustrates the general case. We wish to maximize the area A of the rect-
angle. Let x and y be the depth and width of the rectangle (in feet). Then we express
■ Introduce notation A in terms of x and y:
MAT 1001 Calculus I A 苷 xy 22 / 39
 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems

Area=100 · 2200=220,000 ft@ Are

Solution (cont.)
FIGURE
We see that when we try1shallow, wide fields or deep, narrow fields,
Figure
we get2 il
relatively small areas. It seems plausible that there is some intermediate
angle. Let x a
configuration that produces the largest area. Figure illustrates the general
■ Introduce
case. We wish to maximize A of the rectangle. Let xAand
notation
the area in terms
y be of
the depth and width of the rectangle (in meters).

y We want to e
expressing it
x A x
length of the

From this equ

FIGURE 2
MAT 1001 Calculus I 23 / 39
 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems

Solution (cont.)
Then we express A in terms of x and y

A = xy

We want to express A as a function of just one variable, so we eliminate y

by expressing it in terms of x.
To do this we use the given information that the total length of the
fencing is 2400 m. Thus
2x + y = 2400.
From this equation we have y = 2400 − 2x which gives

A = x(2400 − 2x) = 2400x − 2x2 .

Note that x ≥ 0 and x ≤ 1200 (otherwise A < 0).

MAT 1001 Calculus I 24 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems

Solution (cont.)
So the function that we wish to maximize is

A(x) = 2400x − 2x2 0 ≤ x ≤ 1200

The derivative is A0 (x) = 2400 − 4x, so to find the critical numbers we

solve the equation
2400 − 4x = 0
which gives x = 600.
The maximum value of A must occur either at this critical number or at
an endpoint of the interval.
Since A(0) = 0, A(600) = 720000 and A(1200) = 0, the Closed Interval
Method gives the maximum value as A(600) = 720000.
[Alternatively, we could have observed that A00 (x) = −4 < 0 for all x, so
A is always concave downward and the local maximum at x = 600 must
be an absolute maximum.]
Thus, the rectangular field should be 600 m deep and 1200 m wide.
MAT 1001 Calculus I 25 / 39
 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Module 4.6 takes you equation
through Problems
Optimization

eight additional optimization

problems, including animations of the
which gives x 苷 6
physical situations.
Example 11 number or at an en
A cylindrical can is to be made to hold 1 L of oil. Find the dimensions that
and A共1200兲 苷 0,
will minimize the cost of the metal to manufacture the can. A共600兲 苷 720,000
[Alternatively,
always concave do
Solution.
maximum.]
Draw the diagram as in Figure with height h and radius r. Thus, the rectan

EXAMPLE 2 A cylin
that will minimize
SOLUTION Draw the
h (both in centimete
total surface area o
the sides are made
r
surface area is

FIGURE 3
To eliminate h
2πr be 1000 cm3. Thus
MAT 1001 Calculus I 26 / 39
 SOLUTION
SOLUTIONDraw
Draw thethediad
Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems
h h(both
(bothin in
centimeters).
centimeter
total
total
surface
surface area
areaofot
Solution (cont.) thethe
sides
sidesarearemade
madefro
In order to minimize the cost ofr the surface
surface area
area
r metal, we minimize the total surface
is is
area of the cylinder (top, bottom, and sides). From Figure we see that the
sides are made fromFIGURE
aFIGURE
3 3
rectangular sheet with dimensions 2πr and h.
ToToeliminate
eliminate h we
hw
3 3
2πr2πr be be
1000
1000 cmcm . Thus
. Thus
r r
which
whichgives h苷
gives h苷
100
10

h h
A

Therefore,
Therefore,thethe
functio
func

Area
Area
2{πr@}
2{πr@} Area
Area
(2πr)h
(2πr)h

FIGURE
FIGURE
4 4 ToTo
find
find
thethe
critical
critical
nu
MAT 1001 Calculus I 27 / 39
 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems

Solution (cont.)
So the surface area is
A = 2πr2 + 2πrh
To eliminate h we use the fact that the volume is given as 1 L which we
take to be 1000 cm3 . Thus

πr2 h = 1000

which gives
1000
h= .
(πr2 )
Substitution of this into the expression for Agives
 
2 1000 2000
A = 2πr + 2πr 2
= 2πr2 + .
πr r

MAT 1001 Calculus I 28 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems

Solution (cont.)
Therefore, the function that we want to minimize is
2000
A(r) = 2πr2 + r > 0.
r
To find the critical numbers, we differentiate

2000 4(πr3 − 500)

A0 (r) = 4πr − =
r2 r2
Then A0 (r) = 0 when πr3 = 500. q
So the only critical number is r = 3 500
π .

MAT 1001 Calculus I 29 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems

Solution (cont.)
Since the domain of A is (0, ∞) we can’t use the argument of previous
example concerning endpoints. q
But we can observe that A0 (r) < 0 for r < 3 500 0
π and A (r) > 0 for
q
r > 3 500
π , so A is decreasing for all r to the left of the critical number
and increasing
q for all r to the right.
3 500
Thus, r = π must give rise to an absolute minimum.

MAT 1001 Calculus I 30 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems

Area 2{πr@} Area (2πr)h

Solution (cont.)
FIGURE 4 To find the cri
Alternatively, we could argue that A(r) → ∞ as r → 0+ and A(r) → ∞
as r → ∞, so there must be a minimum value of A(r) which must occur
at the critical number.
y Then A 共r兲 苷
Since the d
cerning endpo
1000 y=A(r) for r  s3
500兾
increasing for
minimum.
[Alternativ
so there must
0 r
10 See Figure 5.]
The value o
FIGURE 5
MAT 1001 Calculus I 31 / 39
 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems

Solution (cont.)
q
3 500
The value of h corresponding to r = π
r
1000 1000 3 500
h= 2
= 2/3
=2 = 2r.
πr π(500/π) π
q
Thus, to minimize the cost of the can, the radius should be 3 500
π cm and
the height should be equal to twice the radius, namely, the diameter.

MAT 1001 Calculus I 32 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems

First Derivative Test for Absolute Extreme Values

Suppose that c is a critical number of a continuous function f defined on
an interval.
(a) If f 0 (x) > 0 for all x < c and f 0 (x) < 0 for all x > c, then f (c) is the
absolute maximum value of f .
(b) If f 0 (x) < 0 for all x < c and f 0 (x) > 0 for all x > c, then f (c) is the
absolute minimum value of f .

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 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems
The m
equatio

Example 12
Find the point on the parabola y 2 = 2x that is closest to the point (1, 4).
and su

Solution. EXAMP
y SOLUTIO
¥=2x
(1, 4)

The distance between the point (See F

(x, y) and the point (1, 4) is (x, y) for d b
1
p
d = (x − 1)2 + (y − 4)2 . 0 1 2 3 4 x

(Altern
Instead

FIGURE 6
(You s
MAT 1001 Calculus I the mi
34 / 39
 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems

Solution (cont.)
But if, (x, y) lies on the parabola, then x = y 2 /2 so the expression for
dbecomes s 2
1 2
d= y − 1 + (y − 4)2 .
2
√
(Alternatively, we could have substituted y = 2x to get d in terms of x
alone.)
Instead of minimizing d, we minimize its square:
 2
2 1 2
d = f (y) = y − 1 + (y − 4)2 .
2

(You should convince yourself that the minimum of d occurs at the same
point as the minimum of d2 , but d2 is easier to work with.)

MAT 1001 Calculus I 35 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems

Solution (cont.)
Differentiating, we obtain
 
1 2
f 0 (y) = 2 y − 1 y + 2(y − 4) = y 3 − 8
2

so f 0 (y) = 0 when y = 2.
Observe that f 0 (y) < 0 when y < 2 and f 0 (y) > 0 when y > 2.
So by the First Derivative Test for Absolute Extreme Values, the absolute
minimum occurs when y = 2.
(Or we could simply say that because of the geometric nature of the
problem, it’s obvious that there is a closest point but not a farthest point.)
The corresponding value of x is x = y 2 /2 = 2.
Thus, the point on y 2 = 2x closest to (1, 4) is (2, 2).

MAT 1001 Calculus I 36 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems

Example 13
312 ■ CHAPTER 4 APPLICATIONS OF DIFFERENTIATION
Find the area of the largest rectangle that can be inscribed in a semicircle
of radius r.
EXAMPLE 5 Find the
Solution. of radius r.
Let’s take the semicircle to be the upper half of the circle x2 + y 2 = r2
Resources / Module 5 SOLUTION 1 Let’s tak
with center the origin. Then /the word
Max and Mininscribed means that the rectangle
/ Startand
of Max andvertices
Min
with center the orig
has two vertices on the semicircle two on the x-axis as shown
vertices on the sem
in Figure.
y Let 共x, y兲 be the
of lengths 2x and y

(x, y) To eliminate y we u
2x y y 苷 sr 2
x 2. Thu

_r 0 r x
The domain of this
MAT 1001 FIGURE 9 Calculus I 37 / 39
 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems

Solution (cont.)
Let (x, y) be the vertex that lies in the first quadrant. Then th rectangle
has sides of lengths 2x and y, so its area is

A = 2xy

To eliminate√y we use the fact that (x, y) lies on the circle x2 + y 2 = r2

and so y = r2 − x2 . Thus
p
A = 2x r2 − x2

The domain of this function is 0 ≤ x ≤ r.

MAT 1001 Calculus I 38 / 39

 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hospital’s Rule Optimization Problems

Solution (cont.)
Its derivative is
p 2x2 2(r2 − 2x2 )
A0 = 2 r2 − x2 − √ = √
r 2 − x2 r 2 − x2
√
which is 0 when 2x2 = r2 , that is, x = r/ 2 (since x ≥ 0). this value of
x gives a maximum value of A since A(0) = 0 and A(r) = 0. Therefore,
the area of the largest inscribed rectangle is
r
r2
 
r r
A √ = 2√ r2 − = r2 .
2 2 2

MAT 1001 Calculus I 39 / 39