Scribd
Upload
28 views4 pages

1.4 Properties of Limits: X A X A X A

This document contains examples and properties related to calculating limits from a Calculus I course. It introduces several limit laws for combining and simplifying limits. It then provides several examples of using these laws and properties to evaluate specific limits both algebraically and using the formal definition. These examples illustrate how to use limit laws, evaluate one-sided limits, use algebraic manipulations, and apply the squeeze theorem to evaluate limits.

Uploaded by

tinasheembofana
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
28 views4 pages

1.4 Properties of Limits: X A X A X A

This document contains examples and properties related to calculating limits from a Calculus I course. It introduces several limit laws for combining and simplifying limits. It then provides several examples of using these laws and properties to evaluate specific limits both algebraically and using the formal definition. These examples illustrate how to use limit laws, evaluate one-sided limits, use algebraic manipulations, and apply the squeeze theorem to evaluate limits.

Uploaded by

tinasheembofana
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

Arkansas Tech University

MATH 2914: Calculus I


Dr. Marcel B. Finan

1.4 Properties of Limits


Using the formal δ definition of a limit for many functions is very tedious
and complicated. For that reason, a set of rules were established to calculate
limits. We start with the following limit laws:
   
lim [af (x) + bg(x)] =a lim f (x) + b lim g(x) (1.4.1)
x→a x→a x→a
   
lim [f (x)g(x)] = lim f (x) · lim g(x) (1.4.2)
x→a x→a x→a
lim x =a (1.4.3)
x→a
lim c =c (1.4.4)
x→a
lim xn =an (1.4.5)
x→a
lim f (x)
f (x) x→a
lim = , provided lim g(x) 6= 0 (1.4.6)
x→a g(x) lim g(x) x→a
x→a
h in
lim [f (x)]n = lim f (x) (1.4.7)
x→a x→a
p q
n
lim f (x) = lim f (x), provided lim f (x) ≥ 0 for n even.
n (1.4.8)
x→a x→a x→a

In the above, n denotes a positive integer.

Example 1.4.1
Find limx→c (an xn + an−1 xn−1 + · · · + a1 x + a0 ).

Solution.
Using the limit laws, we find

lim (an xn + an−1 xn−1 + · · · + a1 x + a0 ) = lim an xn + lim an−1 xn−1 + · · · + lim a1 x + lim a0
x→c x→c x→c x→c x→c
n n−1
=an lim x + an−1 lim x + · · · + a1 lim x + lim a0
x→c x→c x→c x→c
n n−1
=an c + an−1 c + · · · + a1 c + a0

Example 1.4.2
Evaluate the following limits:
(i) lim (2x5 − 9x3 + 3x2 − 11).
x→2
x3 −3x+7
(ii) lim 5x 2 +9x+6 .
x→−1

1
Solution.
(i) lim (2x5 − 9x3 + 3x2 − 11) = 2(2)5 − 9(2)3 + 3(2)2 − 11 = −7
x→2
x3 −3x+7 (−1)3 −3(−1)+7 9
(ii) lim 2 = 5(−1)2 +9(−1)+6
= 2
x→−1 5x +9x+6

Example 1.4.3
2 −4
Find lim xx−2 .
x→2

Solution.
We have
x2 − 4 (x − 2)(x + 2)
lim = lim
x→2 x − 2 x→2 x−2
= lim (x + 2) = 4
x→2

Example 1.4.4 (Evaluating a limit algebraically)


2 2
Use algebra to find lim 16(2+t) t−16(2) .
t→0

Solution.
Expanding the numerator gives
16(2 + t)2 − 16(2)2 16t2 + 64t
= .
t t
Thus,
16(2 + t)2 − 16(2)2
lim = lim(16t + 64) = 64
t→0 t t→0

Example 1.4.5
Find lim |x|
x algebraically.
x→0

Solution.
Finding the left-hand limit we obtain
|x| −x
lim = lim = −1.
x→0− x x→0− x

Finding the right-hand limit we obtain


|x| x
lim = lim = 1.
x→0+ x x→0 x
+

Since the left-hand limit is different from the right-hand limit, we conclude
that lim |x|
x does not exist
x→0

2
Example√1.4.6
2
Find lim x x+9−3
2 .
x→0

Solution.
We have
√ √ √
x2 + 9 − 3 ( x2 + 9 − 3)( x2 + 9 + 3)
lim = lim √
x→0 x2 x→0 x2 ( x2 + 9 + 3)
x2 + 9 − 9
= lim √
x→0 x2 ( x2 + 9 + 3)

x2
= lim √
x→0 x2 ( x2 + 9 + 3)
1
= lim √
x→0 2
x +9+3
1
= √
2
lim ( x + 9 + 3)
x→0
1 1
= =
3+3 6
Another property of limit is the following: Suppose that lim f (x) and
x→a
lim g(x) both exist. If f (x) ≤ g(x) for all x close to a (except possibly
x→a
at a) then lim f (x) ≤ lim g(x).
x→a x→a

We conclude this section we the following property known as the Squeeze


rule: If f (x) ≤ h(x) ≤ g(x) for all x near a (except possibly at a) and
lim f (x) = lim g(x) = L
x→a x→a

then
lim h(x) = L.
x→a

Example 1.4.7
Use the Squeeze rule to show that
 
2 1
lim x sin = 0.
x→0 x
Solution.
Multiplying the double inequality
 
1
−1 ≤ sin ≤1
x

3
by x2 we obtain  
1
−x2 ≤ x2 sin ≤ x2 .
x
But
lim x2 = lim (−x2 ) = 0
x→0 x→0

so that the result follows from the Squeeze rule

You might also like