Week 11

Topic 2. Limits and Continuity (Stewart, pp. 989–999)

1 Limits

Definition 1 (Formal). Let f be a function of two variables with domain D which contains
points arbitrary close to (a, b). We then say that the limit of f (x, y) as (x, y) tends to (a, b) is
L and write

lim f (x, y) = L
(x,y)→(a,b)

if for every ϵ > 0 there exists a corresponding δ > 0 such that

p
(x, y) ∈ D en 0 < (x − a)2 + (y − b)2 < δ =⇒ |f (x, y) − L| < ϵ

Another notation is

f (x, y) → L as (x, y) → (a, b)

Definition 2 (Intuitively). For a function f , if the values of f (x, y) approach the number L
as (x, y) approaches (a, b) along all curves in the domain containing (a, b), then L is the limit
of f as (x, y) tends to (a, b).

Here is a sketch of a few ways how (x, y) can approach (a, b):

Recall that in the one variable case, the limit exists if and only if the two one-sided limits exists
and are equal. This intuitive definition is an expansion of that result.

Definition 3. A function f of two variables is continuous at (a, b) if

lim f (x, y) = f (a, b)

(x,y)→(a,b)

We say that f is continuous on D if f is continuous at every point (a, b) ∈ D.

1
Remark.
• Just like for one variable functions, most (all?) two variable functions we will consider, are
continuous on their domains.
• All our limit rules for one variable functions will likewise be valid for two variable functions.
Even the Squeeze Theorem will be true, but unfortunately the two variable L’Hopital’s Rule
is to technical for this course.
• For a general limit, it is always a good idea to first test the limit along a few curves. If the
limit along two curves differs, then the limit does not exist.
• Note, if the limit along a few curves are the same, it is not necessarily the case that the limit
exists! The limit could differ along curves which you have not considered.
x3 y
Example 1. Determine the limit lim , provided it exists.
(x,y)→(0,0) x4 + y 4

Solution: Consider curves which contains the point (0, 0).

The x axis contains the point (0, 0). Along this curve, all y values are 0. So to determine the limit
along the x axis, replace all y’s with 0. Further, as (x, y) → (0, 0) along the x axis, the x → 0.
Consequently, the limit along the x axis is

x3 y x3 · 0
lim = lim =0
(x,y)→(0,0) x4 + y 4 x→0 x4 + 0

The line y = x also contains the point (0, 0). To determine the limit along this curve, replace all
y’s with x and consider the limit x → 0:

x3 y x4 1
lim = lim = 2
(x,y)→(0,0) x4 + y 4 x→0 x4 + x4

Since the limit along the x axis and the line y = x differs, the limit lim f (x, y) does not
(x,y)→(0,0)
exist.

y sin x2


Example 2. For the function f (x, y) = 4 , determine the limits, if they exists.
x + y2
(a) lim√ f (x, y) (b) lim f (x, y)
(x,y)→( π,1) (x,y)→(0,0)

Solution:
√
(a) Since ( π, 1) is in the domain of f , we have

y sin x2


1 · sin(π)
lim√ 4 2
= 2 =0
(x,y)→( π,1) x + y π + 12

2
 (b) Along the x axis or the line y = 0, the limit is

y sin x2 0 · sin x2



lim = lim =0
(x,y)→(0,0) x4 + y 2 x→0 x4 + 0

But along the parabola y = x2 , the limit is

y sin x2 x2 sin x2 sin x2

1 1 1
lim 4 2
= lim 4 4
= lim 2
= ·1=
(x,y)→(0,0) x + y x→0 x + x 2 x→0 x 2 2

Since these two limits are not equal, the limit of f at (0, 0) does not exists.

Theorem 1 (Squeeze Theorem). Consider three two-variable functions f , g and h which is

defined on a neighborhood D which contains the point (a, b). If for all (x, y) ∈ D,

g(x, y) ≤ f (x, y) ≤ h(x, y)

and

lim g(x, y) = L = lim h(x, y)

(x,y)→(a,b) (x,y)→(a,b)

then the limit of f at (a, b) exists and equals L.

3x2 y
Example 3. Determine lim provided it exists.
(x,y)→(0,0) x2 + y 2

Solution: If we determine the limit along a few curves, we only get the feeling that the limit
exists (and equals 0). To prove that the limit is indeed 0, we can use the Squeeze Theorem.
Notice that for (x, y) ̸= (0, 0),

x2
0 ≤ x2 ≤ x2 + y 2 =⇒ 0≤ ≤1
x2 + y 2
Multiply with 3y:

3x2 y 3x2 y
0≤ ≤ 3y if 3y is positive, 3y ≤ ≤0 if 3y is negative
x2 + y 2 x2 + y 2
Or put together

3x2 y
−3|y| ≤ ≤ 3|y|
x2 + y 2

Both −3|y| and 3|y| tends to 0 as (x, y) → (0, 0). Consequently

3x2 y
lim =0
(x,y)→(0,0) x2 + y 2

3
Example 4. Determine the following limit, if it exists.
x + 2y − 3
lim
(x,y)→(1,1) x2 + 3xy + 2y 2 − 3x − 3y

Solution: Here we notice that

x + 2y − 3 x + 2y − 3
=
x2 2
+ 3xy + 2y − 3x − 3y (x + 2y − 3)(x + y)
1
So if x + 2y − 2 is not 0, we can simplify the fraction to
x+y
Consequently,
x + 2y − 3 1 1
lim = lim =
(x,y)→(1,1) x2 + 3xy + 2y 2 − 3x − 3y (x,y)→(1,1) x + y 2

Theorem 2 (Polar Substitution). For a two variable function f ,

lim f (x, y) = lim f (r cos θ, r sin θ)

(x,y)→(0,0) r→0+

provided the second limit is independant of θ and exists.

Polar substitution is ideal for cases where we have terms of the form x2 + y 2 , since x2 + y 2 = r2 .
Example 5. Determine the following limit, if it exists.

4x2 + 4y 2
lim p
(x,y)→(0,0) 1 − sec x2 + y 2

Solution: With polar substitution, the limit becomes

4 x2 + y 2


lim f (x, y) = lim p
(x,y)→(0,0) (x,y)→(0,0) 1 − sec x2 + y 2
4r 2 0
= lim indeterminate form
r→0+ 1 − sec(r) 0
8r
= lim L’Hopital’s Rule
r→0+ − sec(r) tan(r)
8
= − lim L’Hopital’s Rule
r→0+ sec(r) · sec2 (r) + sec(r) tan(r) · tan(r)
8
=− 3 = −8
(1) + 0

The following theorem could be useful, for applying Squeeze Theorem.

4
 Theorem 3. For a two variable function f ,

lim |f (x, y)| = 0 =⇒ lim f (x, y) = 0

(x,y)→(0,0) (x,y)→(0,0)

Example 6. Consider the function f : R2 → R defined as

2xy sin(x + y)
f (x, y) = for (x, y) ̸= (0, 0)
x2 + y 2
f (0, 0) = k for some k ∈ R
For which values of k is f continuous on R2 ?

Solution: The domain of the function

2xy sin(x + y)
g(x, y) =
x2 + y 2
is R2 \ {(0, 0)}, that is, all points in R2 excluding (0, 0). So g, and thus f , are continuous on R2 \ {0}
If f is continuous, then the limit of g at (0, 0) mus exist and equal k. We determine the limit of g
as follows. First notice that
2xy
(x − y)2 ≥ 0 =⇒ x2 − 2xy + y 2 ≥ 0 =⇒ x2 + y 2 ≥ 2xy =⇒ 1≥ 2
x + y2
Consequently
2xy 2xy sin(x + y)
0≤ ≤1 =⇒ 0≤ ≤ | sin(x + y)|
x2 + y2 x2 + y 2
Since
lim | sin(x + y)| = 0
(x,y)→(0,0)

is 0 the limit of |f (x, y)| as (x, y) → (0, 0). And thus, according to the theorem above,
2xy sin(x + y)
lim =0
(x,y)→(0,0) x2 + y 2
So for k = 0 is f continuous on R2 .

Exercise 1. To show that

2xy sin(x + y)
lim =0
(x,y)→(0,0) x2 + y 2
could we set up the inequalities as
2xy sin(x + y) 2xy
0 ≤ | sin(x + y)| ≤ 1 =⇒ 0≤ 2 2
≤ 2
x +y x + y2
and then apply Squeeze Theorem? Why not?

5
2 Further exercises
Exercise 2. Determine the limits
2x + 3y + 1 x2 sin2 y
(a) lim (b) lim =0
(x,y)→(−2,1) x + y + 1 (x,y)→(0,0) x2 + 3y 2

x−y x3 + y 3
(c) lim (d) lim
(x,y)→(0,0) x2 + y 2
p
(x,y)→(1,1) y 2 + 2x + 1 − (1 + x)