5-Limits of Multivariable Functions VU

Lecture No-5

Limit of Multivariable Function

Example 1:

f ( x, y )  Sin 1 ( x  y )

Domain of f is the
- region in which  1  x + y  1

y-axis
x = -1 x =1

-1 ≤ x +y ≤ 1

y =1

x-axis

y = -1

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Domains and Ranges

Functions Domain Range

1)  x2  y2  z2 Entire space 0,  

2) 
1
Entire space except origin 0,  
x  y2  z2
2

( x, y , z )  (0, 0, 0)

3)   xy ln z Half space, z  0  ,  

Examples of domain of a function

Example 2:

f ( x, y )  xy y 1

Domain of f consists of the region in xy-plane where y  1.

(Here we take y 1 0 for real values.)

Example 3:

f ( x, y )  x2  y2  4

Domain of f consists of the region in xy-plane where x 2  y 2  4. It means that the points
of the domain lie outside the circle with radius 2.

As shown in the figure

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5-Limits of Multivariable Functions VU

Example 4:

f(x, y) = ln xy

For the real values of logarithmic function‚ xy  0 which is possible:

When x  0 ‚ y  0 (3rd quadrant) and when x  0 ‚ y  0 ( 1st quadrant )

Domain of f consists of region lying in first and third quadrants in xy-plane as shown below.

Example 5:
xyz
f(x, y,z) =e

Domain of f consists of the entire region of three dimensional space.

Example 6:

4  x2
f(x, y) =
y2  3

Here we take 4  x 2  0 for real values of f(x, y).

Domain of f consists of region in xy - plane where x 2  4 which implies that  2  x  2.

x=2
x = -2 y

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5-Limits of Multivariable Functions VU

Example 7:

f(x, y, z) = 25  x 2  y 2  z 2

.Here we take 25  x 2  y 2  z 2  0 for real values of f(x, y). So, x 2  y 2  z 2  52

Domain of f consists of region in three dimensional space occupied by sphere Centre at

( 0, 0, 0 ) and radius 5.

Example 8:

x 3  2 x 2 y  xy  2 y 2
f(x, y) =
x 2y

f( 0, 0 ) is not defined but we see that limit exits.

Approaching to (0,0) through Approaching to (0,0) through

x-axis f(x, y) y-axis f(x, y)

( 0.5, 0 ) 0.25 (0,0.1) -0.1

( 0.25, 0 ) 0.0625 (0,0.001) -0.001

(0.1,0) 0.01 (0,0.00001) 0.00001

(-0.25,0) 0.0625 (0,-0.001) 0.001

(-0.1,0) 0.01 (0,-0.00001) 0.00001

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Approaching to (0,0) through

yx f(x, y)

(0.5,0.5) -0.25

(0.1,0.1) -0.09

(0.01,0.01) -0.0099

(-0.5,-0.5) 0.75

(-0.1,-0.1) 0.11

(-0.01,-0.01) 0.0101

Example 9:

f (x,y) = 2xy 2
x +y

f( 0, 0 ) is not defined and we see that limit also does not exist.

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Approaching to Approaching to (0,0)

(0,0) through through
f (x,y) f (x,y)
x-axis (y = 0) y=x

( 0.5,0 ) 0 ( 0.5,0.5 ) 0.5

( 0.1,0 ) 0 ( 0.25,0.25 ) 0.5

( 0.01,0 ) 0 ( 0.1,0.1 ) 0.5

( 0.001,0 ) 0 ( 0.05,0.05 ) 0.5

( 0.0001,0 ) 0 ( 0.001,0.001 ) 0.5

( -0.5,0 ) 0 ( -0.5,-0.5 ) 0.5

( -0.1,0 ) 0 ( -0.25,-0.25 ) 0.5

( -0.01,0 ) 0 ( -0.1,-0.1 ) 0.5

( -0.001,0 ) 0 ( -0.05,-0.05 ) 0.5

( -0.0001,0 ) 0 ( -0.001,-0.001 ) 0.5

xy
lim 2 = 0 (along y = 0)
(x,y)  (0,0)
x + y2

xy
lim 2 = 0.5 (along y = x)
(x,y )  (0,0)
x + y2

xy
lim 2 2 does not exist.
(x,y )  (0,0)
x + y

xy
lim
( x , y )( 0, 0 ) x  y 2
2

Let ( x, y ) approach (0, 0) along the line y  x.

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5-Limits of Multivariable Functions VU

xy
f ( x, y ) 
x  y2
2

xx x2 1
f ( x, x )    x 0
x2  x2 2x2 2
xy 1
lim f ( x, y )  lim  Along the line y  x
( x , y ) ( 0 , 0 ) ( x , y ) ( 0 , 0 ) x y
2 2
2

Now let ( x, y ) approach (0, 0) along x-axis. On x-axis, y  0.

x0 0
f ( x , 0)   2 0 x 0
x 0
2 2
x
xy
lim f ( x, y )  lim 0 Along the line x  axis .
( x , y ) ( 0 , 0 ) ( x , y ) ( 0 , 0 ) x  y2
2

|Therefore f ( x, y ) assumes two different values, as ( x, y ) approaches (0, 0) along two different
xy
paths. So lim does not exist.
( x , y )( 0, 0 ) x  y 2
2

We can approach a point in space through infinite paths some of them are shown in the figure
below:

Rule for Non-Existence of a Limit

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5-Limits of Multivariable Functions VU

If in lim f ( x, y ), we get two or more different values, as ( x, y ) approaches (a, b) along two
( x , y )( a ,b )

different paths, then lim f ( x, y ) does not exist.

( x , y )( a ,b )

The paths along which (a, b) is approached may be straight lines or plane curves through (a, b)

Example

x3  2x2 y  x  2 y2
lim
( x , y )( 2 ,1) x  2y
lim
( x , y )( 2 ,1)
x 3
 2x2 y  x  2 y2 

lim
( x , y )( 2 ,1)
x  2 y 

Example

xy
lim
( x , y )( 0, 0 )
x  y2
2

We set x  r cos  , y  r sin  , then

xy

r cos   r sin  
x2  y2 r cos  2   r sin  2

r 2 cos  sin    r cos  sin  
r cos 2   sin 2  1
 r cos  sin  , r 0

Since r  x 2  y 2 , so as ( x, y )  (0, 0)
xy
lim  lim r cos  sin   0  cos  sin   0
( x , y ) ( 0 , 0 ) r 0
x2  y2

Note that cos  sin  1 for all values of  .

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5-Limits of Multivariable Functions VU

RULES FOR LIMIT

If lim f ( x, y)  L1 and lim g ( x, y)  L2 , then

( x , y )( x0 , y0 ) ( x , y ) ( x0 , y0 )

(a) lim cf ( x, y)  cL1 (if c is constant)

( x , y )( x0 , y0 )

(b) lim { f ( x, y)  g ( x, y)}  L1  L2

( x , y )( x0 , y0 )

(c) lim { f ( x, y)  g ( x, y)}  L1  L2

( x , y )( x0 , y0 )

(d) lim { f ( x, y) g ( x, y)}  L1L2

( x , y )( x0 , y0 )

f ( x, y ) L1
(e) lim  (if L2 = 0)
( x , y ) ( x0 , y0 ) g ( x, y ) L2

lim c  c (c is a constant), lim x0  x0 , lim y0  y0

( x , y ) ( x0 , y0 ) ( x , y ) ( x0 , y0 ) ( x , y )( x0 , y0 )

Similarly for the function of three variables.

Overview of lecture# 5

In this lecture we recall you all the limit concept which are prerequisite for this course and you
can find all these concepts in the chapter # 16 (topic # 16.2) of your recommended book
“Calculus By Howard Anton”.

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