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com
II. Graph the following set of ordered pairs using one Cartesian plane. (item
numbers from 6-10)

x 0 1 2 3 4
y 1 2 3 4 5

III. Answer the following questions. Write your answer on a separate sheet of
paper.

11. Solve lim (𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 − 1)

𝑥→2

A. 11 B. 12 C. 13 D. 14

12. Evaluate lim ( 2𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 − 2)

𝑥→1

A. 2 B. 3 C. 4 D. 5

13. Find lim (𝑥 − 8)

𝑥→5

A. 3 B. -2 C. – 3 D. 2

14. Determine lim (𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 3)

𝑥→3

A. 3 B. –2 C. –3 D. 2

𝑥 2 −9
15. Provide the value of lim ( )
𝑥→3 𝑥−3

A. 3 B.4 C. 5 D. 6

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Lesson Limits of Algebraic

1 Expressions using Tables
and Graphs
Everyone has their own limitation. Knowing your own limit helps you understand
why some things are favorable to you and some are not. In this branch of
Mathematics called Calculus, Limit is one of the important lessons that you need to
understand because it plays a vital role in the application of differentiation towards
a function.

What’s In

Complete the table of values and graph the ordered pairs using one Cartesian plane.
Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

𝒙 1 2 3
𝒚=𝒙−𝟏 ? ? ?

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What’s New

Read the situation and answer the question briefly.

Situation: Have you experienced walking on a street and noticed an image of a small
billboard from afar? Because of the distance, the message on that billboard is not
readable. What action would you take to be able to see clearly and understand the
message on that billboard?

What is It

• The limit of a function 𝑓(𝑥) is the value it approaches as the value of 𝑥

approaches a certain value. “As 𝑥 approaches 𝑎, the limit of 𝑓(𝑥) approaches
L”. (Mercado, 2016)
This is written in symbols as follows;

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝑳
𝒙→𝒄

• One sided limit is the value (𝐿) as the 𝒙 value gets closer and closer to a
certain value 𝒄 from one side only (either from the left or from the right side).
In symbols,

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝑳 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝑳

𝒙→𝒄− 𝒙→𝒄+

From the left side From the right side

• Always remember that if the limit value from the left side is not equal to the
limit value from the right, then the limit Does Not Exist or DNE.
In symbols, if 𝐥𝐢𝐦− 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝑳 ≠ 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝑳 , then 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) 𝑫𝑵𝑬
𝒙→𝒄 𝒙→𝒄+ 𝒙→𝒄

• The limit of a function 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝑳 is not the same as evaluating a function
𝒙→𝒄

𝒇(𝒄) because they are different in terms of concept. The limit of a function
gets its value by providing inputs that approaches the particular number while
evaluating a function is more like direct substitution process.

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How to Illustrate the Limit of a Function

Example:
Express in mathematical symbol: limit of the function (𝑥 + 3 ) as 𝑥 approaches 2 is
equivalent to 5.

Solution:

Write down your given 𝑓(𝑥) equivalent to (𝑥 + 3). Your 𝑐 is equal to 2 and your
limit 𝐿 is 5. Then substitute into the limit expression lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿.
𝑥→𝑐

Answer: lim(𝑥 + 3) = 5
𝑥→2

How to Solve for the Limit of a Function

Example:

1. With the given function 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 3, solve for its limit when 𝑥 approaches 2
and graph the function.

Solution:
Step 1: Create two tables of value, one for the inputs that approaches 2 from the left
and the other is for the inputs that gets closer to 2 from the right side. (See figure
below).

𝒙<𝟐 𝒇(𝒙) or 𝒚 𝒙>𝟐 𝒇(𝒙) or y

Step 2: Choose 𝑥 − 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑠 that approach 2 from the left side and also from the right
side. Remember that we cannot choose 2 because we are dealing with limits. (See the
number line figure below).

X – Values or X – Values or
(inputs) that (inputs) that
approach 2 from approach 2
the left side from the right
side

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After choosing 𝑥 − 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑠 that approach 2 from the left and from the right side,
evaluate each input to its corresponding function and solve for its corresponding
output. (Refer to the table of values below).

𝒙<𝟐 𝒇(𝒙) or 𝒚 𝒙>𝟐 𝒇(𝒙) or 𝒚

0 3 4 7
1 4 3 6
1.5 4.5 2.5 5.5
1.9 4.9 2.1 5.1
1.99 4.99 2.01 5.01
1.999 4.999 2.001 5.001
1.9999 4.9999 2.0001 5.0001

Step 3: Now that the output values on both tables are solved, notice that it approach
5 as the inputs gets closer and closer to 2. We can illustrate both tables as one sided
limits from the left lim−(𝑥 + 3) = 5 and lim+(𝑥 + 3) = 5 from the right.
𝑥→2 𝑥→2

Step 4: Since both one sided limits from the left and right side is equivalent to 5,
therefore the limit of the function 𝑥 + 3 as 𝑥 gets closer and closer to 2 is 5.

In symbols,

lim (𝑥 + 3) = 5
𝑥→2

How to Graph the Limit of a Function

Use the coordinates from the table of values and plot them into a Cartesian plane.

Graph of
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 3

On this area, it is
evident that as the
x-values approach 2
from the left and
from the right, the
y-values approach 5
from the left and
from the right as
well.

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Example:
𝑥 2 −1
2. Calculate lim ( ) and graph the function.
𝑥→1 𝑥−1

(1)2 −1 0
On this particular given, evaluating the function 𝑓(1) = ( ) will result into or
(1)−1 0
indeterminate answer. But in the application of limits, there is a possibility that you’ll
get a defined value. For this reason, we can say that solving for the limit of a function
is different from evaluating a function.

Solution:
Step 1: Make two table of values, one for the inputs that approaches 1 from the left
and the other is for the inputs that gets closer to 1 from the right side. (See figure
below).

𝑥<1 𝑓(𝑥) or 𝑦 𝑥>1 𝑓(𝑥) or y

Step 2: Choose 𝑥 − 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑠 that approaches 1 from the left side and also from the right
side. Remember that we cannot choose 1 because we are dealing with limits.

After choosing 𝑥 − 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑠 that approaches 1 from the left and from the right side,
evaluate each input to its corresponding function and solve for its corresponding
output. (Refer to the table of values below).

𝑥<1 𝑓(𝑥) or 𝑦 𝑥>1 𝑓(𝑥) or y

0.5 1.5 1.5 2.5
0.9 1.9 1.1 2.1
0.99 1.99 1.01 2.01
0.999 1.999 1.0001 2.0001

Step 3: Once the output values on both tables were solved, notice that it approaches
2 as the inputs gets closer and closer to 1. We can illustrate both tables as one sided
𝑥 2 −1 𝑥 2 −1
limits from the left lim− ( ) = 2 and lim+ ( ) = 2 from the right.
𝑥→1 𝑥−1 𝑥→1 𝑥−1

Step 4: Since both one sided limits from the left and right side is equivalent to 2,
𝑥 2 −1
therefore the limit of the function ( ) as 𝑥 gets closer and closer to 1 is 2.
𝑥−1

𝑥 2 −1
In symbols, lim ( )=2
𝑥→1 𝑥−1

Graph of the function:

In a single Cartesian plane, plot the coordinates from the table of values.

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Notice that a “hole’’ is
visible on the graph
0
because of the or
0
indeterminate result
when x=1.
Nevertheless, the
limit is obvious
because it is evident
𝑥 2 −1
Graph of 𝑓 (𝑥 ) = here that as the x-
𝑥−1
values approach 1
from the left and
from the right, the y-
values approach 2
from the left and
from the right as
well.

What’s More

Read and answer the following items. Write your answers on a separate sheet of
paper.

1. Evaluate lim(4 + 𝑥).

𝑥→2

𝑥<2 𝑓(𝑥) or 𝑦 𝑥>2 𝑓(𝑥) or y

Input Output Input Output
from from the from the from the
the left left side right right side
side side

0 ? 3 ?
1.5 ? 2.5 ?
1.99 ? 2.01 ?
1.9999 ? 2.0001 ?

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One sided limits from the left One sided limits from the right

lim (4 + 𝑥) = ____ lim (4 + 𝑥) = ____

𝑥→2− 𝑥→2+

𝑙𝑖𝑚 (4 + 𝑥) = ____
𝑥→2
Graph of the function:

Use the coordinates from the table of values and plot them on the Cartesian plane
below.

𝑥 2 −2𝑥−3
2. Solve lim ( ).
𝑥→3 𝑥−3

𝒙<𝟑 𝒇(𝒙) or 𝒚 𝒙>𝟑 𝒇(𝒙) or y

2.5 ? 3.5 ?
2.9 ? 3.1 ?
2.999 ? 3.001 ?
2.99999 ? 3.00001 ?

One sided limits from the left One sided limits from the right

𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 3 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 3
𝑙𝑖𝑚− ( ) = ___ 𝑙𝑖𝑚+ ( ) = ___
𝑥→3 𝑥−3 𝑥→3 𝑥−3

𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 3
𝑙𝑖𝑚 ( ) = ___
𝑥→3 𝑥−3