Section 1.

5
Limits Involving Infinity; Asymptotes

Math S-1ab
Calculus I and II

June 28, 2007

Announcements
I We will hold off on §1.1 problems until I hear back from tech
support.
Definition
Let f be a function defined on some interval (a, ∞). Then

lim f (x) = L
x→∞

means that the values of f (x) can be made as close to L as we

like, by taking x sufficiently large.
Definition
Let f be a function defined on some interval (a, ∞). Then

lim f (x) = L
x→∞

means that the values of f (x) can be made as close to L as we

like, by taking x sufficiently large.

Definition
The line y = L is a called a horizontal asymptote of the curve
y = f (x) if either

lim f (x) = L or lim f (x) = L.

x→∞ x→−∞
Definition
Let f be a function defined on some interval (a, ∞). Then

lim f (x) = L
x→∞

means that the values of f (x) can be made as close to L as we

like, by taking x sufficiently large.

Definition
The line y = L is a called a horizontal asymptote of the curve
y = f (x) if either

lim f (x) = L or lim f (x) = L.

x→∞ x→−∞

y = L is a horizontal line!
Theorem
Let n be a positive integer. Then
1
I lim =0
x→∞ x n
1
I lim =0
x→−∞ x n
Using the limit laws to compute limits at ∞

Example
Find
2x 3 + 3x + 1
lim
x→∞ 4x 3 + 5x 2 + 7

if it exists.
A does not exist
B 1/2
C 0
D ∞
Using the limit laws to compute limits at ∞

Example
Find
2x 3 + 3x + 1
lim
x→∞ 4x 3 + 5x 2 + 7

if it exists.
A does not exist
B 1/2
C 0
D ∞
Solution
Factor out the largest power of x from the numerator and
denominator. We have
2x 3 + 3x + 1 x 3 (2 + 3/x 2 + 1/x 3 )
=
4x 3 + 5x 2 + 7 x 3 (4 + 5/x + 7/x 3 )
2x 3 + 3x + 1 2 + 3/x 2 + 1/x 3
lim = lim
x→∞ 4x 3 + 5x 2 + 7 x→∞ 4 + 5/x + 7/x 3
2+0+0 1
= =
4+0+0 2
Solution
Factor out the largest power of x from the numerator and
denominator. We have
2x 3 + 3x + 1 x 3 (2 + 3/x 2 + 1/x 3 )
=
4x 3 + 5x 2 + 7 x 3 (4 + 5/x + 7/x 3 )
2x 3 + 3x + 1 2 + 3/x 2 + 1/x 3
lim = lim
x→∞ 4x 3 + 5x 2 + 7 x→∞ 4 + 5/x + 7/x 3
2+0+0 1
= =
4+0+0 2

Upshot
When finding limits of algebraic expressions at infinitely, look at
the highest degree terms.
Another Example

Example
Find √
3x 4 + 7
lim
x→∞ x2 + 3
Another Example

Example
Find √
3x 4 + 7
lim
x→∞ x2 + 3

Solution √
The limit is 3.
Example
x2
Make a conjecture about lim .
x→∞ 2x
Example
x2
Make a conjecture about lim .
x→∞ 2x

Solution
The limit is zero. exponential growth is infinitely faster than
geometric growth
Infinite Limits

Definition
The notation
lim f (x) = ∞
x→a

means that the values of f (x) can be made arbitrarily large (as
large as we please) by taking x sufficiently close to a but not equal
to a.

Definition
The notation
lim f (x) = −∞
x→a

means that the values of f (x) can be made arbitrarily large

negative (as large as we please) by taking x sufficiently close to a
but not equal to a.
Of course we have definitions for left- and right-hand infinite limits.
Vertical Asymptotes

Definition
The line x = a is called a vertical asymptote of the curve
y = f (x) if at least one of the following is true:
I lim f (x) = ∞ I lim f (x) = −∞
x→a x→a
I lim f (x) = ∞ I lim f (x) = −∞
x→a+ x→a+
I lim f (x) = ∞ I lim f (x) = −∞
x→a− x→a−
Infinite Limits we Know

1
lim =∞
x→0+ x
1
lim = −∞
x→0− x
1
lim 2 = ∞
x→0 x
Finding limits at trouble spots

Example
Let
t2 + 2
f (t) =
t 2 − 3t + 2
Find lim f (t) and lim+ f (t) for each a at which f is not
t→a− t→a
continuous.
Finding limits at trouble spots

Example
Let
t2 + 2
f (t) =
t 2 − 3t + 2
Find lim f (t) and lim+ f (t) for each a at which f is not
t→a− t→a
continuous.

Solution
The denominator factors as (t − 1)(t − 2). We can record the
signs of the factors on the number line.
− 0 +
(t − 1)
1
− 0 +
(t − 1)
1
− 0 +
(t − 2)
2
− 0 +
(t − 1)
1
− 0 +
(t − 2)
2
+
(t 2 + 2)
− 0 +
(t − 1)
1
− 0 +
(t − 2)
2
+
(t 2 + 2)

f (t)
1 2
− 0 +
(t − 1)
1
− 0 +
(t − 2)
2
+
(t 2 + 2)
+
f (t)
1 2
− 0 +
(t − 1)
1
− 0 +
(t − 2)
2
+
(t 2 + 2)
+ ±∞
f (t)
1 2
− 0 +
(t − 1)
1
− 0 +
(t − 2)
2
+
(t 2 + 2)
+ ±∞ −
f (t)
1 2
− 0 +
(t − 1)
1
− 0 +
(t − 2)
2
+
(t 2 + 2)
+ ±∞ − ∓∞
f (t)
1 2
− 0 +
(t − 1)
1
− 0 +
(t − 2)
2
+
(t 2 + 2)
+ ±∞ − ∓∞ +
f (t)
1 2
Limit Laws with infinite limits

I The sum of positive infinite limits is ∞. That is

∞+∞=∞

I The sum of negative infinite limits is −∞.

−∞ − ∞ = −∞

I The sum of a finite limit and an infinite limit is infinite.

a+∞=∞
a − ∞ = −∞
Rules of Thumb with infinite limits

I The sum of positive infinite limits is ∞. That is

∞+∞=∞

I The sum of negative infinite limits is −∞.

−∞ − ∞ = −∞

I The sum of a finite limit and an infinite limit is infinite.

a+∞=∞
a − ∞ = −∞
Rules of Thumb with infinite limits
I The product of a finite limit and an infinite limit is infinite if
the finite limit is not 0.
(
∞ if a > 0
a·∞=
−∞ if a < 0.
(
−∞ if a > 0
a · (−∞) =
∞ if a < 0.
I The product of two infinite limits is infinite.
∞·∞=∞
∞ · (−∞) = −∞
(−∞) · (−∞) = ∞

I The quotient of a finite limit by an infinite limit is zero:

a
= 0.
∞
Indeterminate Limits

I Limits of the form 0 · ∞ and ∞ − ∞ are indeterminate. There

is no rule for evaluating such a form; the limit must be
examined more closely.
Indeterminate Limits

I Limits of the form 0 · ∞ and ∞ − ∞ are indeterminate. There

is no rule for evaluating such a form; the limit must be
examined more closely.
1
I Limits of the form are also indeterminate.
0
Rationalizing to get a limit

Example p 
Compute lim 4x 2 + 17 − 2x .
x→∞
Rationalizing to get a limit

Example p 
Compute lim 4x 2 + 17 − 2x .
x→∞

Solution
This limit is of the form ∞ − ∞, which we cannot use. So we
rationalize the numerator (the denominator is 1) to get an
expression that we can use the limit laws on.