Limits of

Polynomial,
Rational, and
Radical Functions
Theorem 1
Let c, k, L and M be real numbers, and let f(x) and g(x) be
functions defined on some open interval containing c,
except possibly at c.
1. If lim f x exists, then it is unique. That is, if
lim f(x) = L and lim f(x) = M, then L = M.
x→c x→c

2. lim c = c
x→c

3. lim x = c
x→c

2
Theorem 1

1. Suppose lim f(x) = L and lim g(x) = M

x→c x→c
i. (Constant Multiple) lim [k · g(x) = k · M
x→c
ii. (Addition) lim[f(x) ± g(x)] = L ± M
x→c
iii. (Multiplication) lim[f(x) g(x)] = LM
x→c
f(x) L
iv. (Division) lim , provided M≠0
x→c g(x) M
v. (Power) lim[f x ]p =
x→c
Lp for p, a positive integer
vi. (Root/Radical)
n
lim n f(x) = L
x→c
for positive integers n, and provided that L > 0 when n is even.

3
 Limits of ALGEBRAIC FUNCTIONS

1 Determine x→1
lim(2x + 1)

lim(2x + 1) = lim 2x + lim 1 𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

x→1 x→1 x→1

lim x + 1
= 2 x→1 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑙𝑒

= 2 1 +1 lim x = c
x→𝑐

= 3
2 Determine x→−1
lim (2𝑥 3 −4𝑥 2 + 1)

lim (2𝑥 3 −4𝑥 2 + 1) = lim 2𝑥 3 − lim 4𝑥 2 + lim 1 𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

x→−1 x→−1 x→−1 x→−1

lim 𝑥 3 − 4 lim 𝑥 2 + 1
= 2 x→−1 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑙
x→−1

3 2 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟
= 2 (−1) −4(−1) + 1
= −2 − 4 + 1

= −5
3 Determine x→0
lim(3𝑥 2 −2𝑥 − 1)

lim(3𝑥 2 −2𝑥 − 1) = lim 3𝑥 2 − lim 2𝑥 − lim 1 𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

x→0 x→0 x→0 x→0

lim 𝑥 2 − 2lim 𝑥 − 1
= 3 x→0 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑙
x→0

3 2 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟
= 3 (0) −2(0) − 1
= 0−0−1

= −1
4 Determine lim 𝑥1
x→1

1
lim = lim 1
x→1 𝑥 x→1
𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛
lim x
x→1

= 1
1

= 1
5 Determine x→2
lim
𝑥
𝑥+1

lim 𝑥 + 1 = lim 𝑥 + lim1

x→2 x→2 x→2

= 2+1

= 3
𝑥 = lim 𝑥
lim x→2
x→2 𝑥 + 1 lim𝑥 + 1
x→2
= 2
3
6 Determine lim (𝑥−3)(𝑥 2 −2)

x→1 𝑥 2 +1

lim 𝑥 2 + 1 = lim 𝑥 2 + lim1

x→1 x→1 x→1

= lim 𝑥 2 + 1
x→1

= 1+1 = 2
(𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 2 − 2) = lim(𝑥 − 3) · lim(𝑥 2 − 2) ·
lim x→1 x→1
x→1 𝑥2 + 1
2
= 1 − 3 (12 − 2) = 1
2
6 Determine lim (𝑥−3)(𝑥 2 −2)

x→1 𝑥 2 +1

lim 𝑥 2 + 1 = lim 𝑥 2 + lim1

x→1 x→1 x→1

= lim 𝑥 2 + 1
x→1

= 1+1 = 2
(𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 2 − 2) = lim(𝑥 − 3) · lim(𝑥 2 − 2) ·
lim x→1 x→1
x→1 𝑥2 + 1
2
= 1 − 3 (12 − 2) = 1
2
Theorem 2
Let f be a polynomial of the form

𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑎𝑛 𝑥 𝑛 +𝑎𝑛−1 𝑥 𝑛−1 + 𝑎𝑛−2 𝑥 𝑛−2 + … + 𝑎1 𝑥 + 𝑎0

If c is a real number, then

lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑓(𝑐)
x→𝑐

Proof. Let c be any real number. Remember that a

polynomial is defined at any real number. So,
𝑓 𝑐 = 𝑎𝑛 𝑐 𝑛 +𝑎𝑛−1 𝑐 𝑛−1 + 𝑎𝑛−2 𝑐 𝑛−2 + … + 𝑎1 𝑐 + 𝑎0
11
7 Evaluate x→−1
lim 2𝑥 3 − 4𝑥 2 + 1

Solution: Note first that our function

𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 3 − 4𝑥 2 + 1, 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑎𝑙
Computing for the value of f at x = -1, we get
3 2
𝑓 −1 = 2 −1 − 4 −1 +1
= −2 − 4 + 1
= −5
Therefore, from Theorem 2,
lim (2𝑥 3 −4𝑥 2 + 1) = 𝑓 −1 = −5
x→−1
Theorem 3
𝑓(𝑥)
Let h be a rational function h x = where f and g are polynomial
𝑔(𝑥)
functions. If c is a real number and g(c) ≠ 0, then
𝑓(𝑥) 𝑓(𝑐)
lim ℎ 𝑥 = lim =
x→𝑐 x→𝑐 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑔(𝑐)
Proof. From Theorem 2, lim 𝑔 𝑥 = g c , which is nonzero by
x→𝑐
assumption. Moreover, lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑓(𝑐).
x→𝑐

Therefore, by the Division Rule of Theorem 1

lim𝑓(𝑥) 𝑓(𝑐)
𝑓(𝑥) x→𝑐
, lim = =
x→𝑐 𝑔(𝑥) lim𝑔(𝑥)
x→𝑐
𝑔(𝑐)
13
8 Evaluate lim 1−5𝑥
1+3𝑥 2 +4𝑥 4
x→1
Solution: Since the denominator is not zero when evaluated at x = 1, we
may apply Theorem 3:

1−5𝑥 1−5(1)
lim =
x→1 1+3𝑥 2 +4𝑥 4 1+3(1)2 +4(1)4

−4
=
8

−1
=
2
9 Evaluate x→1
lim 𝑥

Solution: Note that lim 𝑥 = 1 > 0. Therefore, by the Radical/Root Rule,

x→1

lim 𝑥 = lim x
x→1 x→1

= 1

= 1
10 Evaluate x→0
lim 𝑥 + 4
Solution: Note that lim(𝑥 + 4) = 1 > 0.
x→0
Therefore, by the Radical/Root Rule,

lim 𝑥 + 4 = lim x + 4
x→0 x→0

= 4

= 2
11 Evaluate lim 3
𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 − 6
x→−2

3
lim 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 − 6 = 3 lim (𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 − 6)
x→−2 x→−2

3
= (−2)2 +3(−2) − 6)

3
= −8

=-2
12 Evaluate lim 2𝑥+5
x→2 1−3𝑥
Solution: Note that lim 1 − 3𝑥 = −5 ≠ 0. Moreover, lim 2𝑥 + 5 = 9 > 0
x→2 x→2
Thus using the Division and Radical Rules of Theorem 1, we obtain
lim 2𝑥+5 lim 2𝑥+5
2𝑥+5 x→2
lim = x→2 =
x→2 1−3𝑥 lim 1−3𝑥
x→2
−5

9
=
−5

3
=-
5
Evaluate the following limits.
1. 4.

2. 5.
3.
6.
19
7. 9.

8. 10.

20