L’Hospital’s Rule

Warm up: Evaluate the following

limits. lim��→2��2 − 4�� + 4 lim��→−2��3 + 8 4 − ��2

�� − 2
+−
83
2
46

x
lim
→
x 1` lim
x =
− 2
x ∞
x → x12 +
1
−
 1
Indeterminate Forms and L’Hôpital (or L’Hospital’s)
An indeterminate form of a limit occurs when you attempt to evaluate the limit and find that it produces
the fraction 0/0 or ∞. In order to evaluate a limit of that form, we
∞/ have to simplify the limit some
way. We did this in the first section on limits by factoring the polynomials and hopefully finding
something that would divide out. For example:
2
x 1
e −
x
lim
x →
e0 − 1

However, some limits won’t factor in a way that this would work. Consider the following limit:
e −
lim 2
1 x
x
→
x0

There is nothing that can be done to re-write this function in a way that is not indeterminate.
 g x ' 0 ( ) ≠near a (except possibly at a).

Suppose that lim 0 ( )

Suppose f and g are differentiable and lim 0 (

xa→
fx =and gx =
xa→

lim ( ) lim ( )
= ±∞and
or that
xa→
gx
xa→
fx = ±∞
form of type ∞
0
(In other words, we ∞.) Then,
or
have an indeterminate 0
()
()
fxfx
'
lim lim
()
=
()
→→
gxgx
'
xaxa

side exists (or is ∞or

if the limit on the right −∞).

Note: L’Hospital’s rule is also valid for one-sided limits and for limits at infinity and
negative infinity. In other x a →can be replaced by:
words,
x a x a x x , , , → → → ∞ → −∞ + −

2
Indeterminate Form 0/0 ∞ ∞/
Indeterminate Form
x
lim lim x
Evaluate ln
e −Evaluate 1
2
x
 → →∞
x0 x x
te Form −
Evaluate lim
x

x ex
→∞
0⋅∞

Indetermina

Applying L’Hôpital’s Rule More Than Once

lim →−∞
Evalua x
−
te x
2 x
e
 3
Evaluate the following limits. If L’Hospital’s Rule doesn’t apply, explain why.
(Hint: You may need to use L’Hospital’s Rule more than once.)
lim b.
5�� sin 8��
2
e
a. x lim��→0������
x
→∞
x
x
x
2
−
1

sin
lim
c. lim
x
1
π
x → − −d. x 1 cos
→−
x1 +
lim
e
x

−f. 1

tan
lim
x

e.
→π
x sin
→
x x0
x

Answer Key
∞b.
1

3c.0d. −2e.1f. 0

1. a.