Limit of a Function and

One-sided limits
Mathematics 53
Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman)

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Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

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For today

Limit of a Function: An intuitive approach

Evaluating Limits

One-sided Limits

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Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

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Introduction

Given a function f ( x ) and a

R,

what is the value of f at x near a,

but not equal to a?

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Illustration 1

Consider f ( x ) = 3x 1.
What can we say about values of f ( x ) for values of x near 1 but not equal to 1?

f (x)

f (x)

1
0.5
1.7
1.97
1.99997

1.5

3.5

1.1

2.3

1.001

2.003

1.00001

2.00003

0.5
0.9
0.99
0.99999

Based on the table, as x gets closer and closer to 1, f ( x ) gets closer and closer
to 2.

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Illustration 1

f (x)

1
0.5
1.7
1.97
1.99997

0.5
0.9
0.99
0.99999

4
3
2
1

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Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

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Illustration 1

f (x)

1.5

3.5

1.1

2.3

1.001

2.003

1.00001

2.00003

2
1

As x gets closer and closer to 1, f ( x ) gets closer and closer to 2.

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Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

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Illustration 2

3x2 4x + 1
x1
(3x 1)( x 1)
=
x1

Consider: g( x ) =

4
3
2

= 3x 1, x 6= 1

As x gets closer and closer to 1, g( x ) gets closer and closer to 2.

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Illustration 3

Consider: h( x ) =

3x 1,

0,

x 6= 1
4

x=1

3
2
1

As x gets closer and closer to 1, h( x ) gets closer and closer to 2.

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Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

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Limit

Intuitive Notion of a Limit

a

R, L R

f ( x ): function defined on some open interval containing a, except possibly at a

The limit of f ( x ) as x approaches a is L
if the values of f ( x ) get closer and closer to L as x assumes values getting closer
and closer to a but not reaching a.
Notation:

lim f ( x ) = L

xa

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Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

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Examples

f ( x ) = 3x 1
lim (3x 1) = 2

x 1

Note: In this case, lim f ( x ) = f (1).

x 1

2
1

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Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

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Examples

g( x ) =

3x2 4x + 1
x1
3x2 4x + 1
=2
x1
x 1
lim

4
3

Note: Though g(1) is undefined,

lim g( x ) exists.

x 1
1

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Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

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Examples

h( x ) =

3x 1,

0,

x 6= 1
x=1
lim h( x ) = 2

x 1

Note: h(1) 6= lim h( x ).

x 1

2
1

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Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

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Some Remarks

Remark
In finding lim f ( x ):
xa

We only need to consider values of x very close to a but not exactly at a.

Thus, lim f ( x ) is NOT NECESSARILY the same as f ( a).
xa

We let x approach a from BOTH SIDES of a.

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Some Remarks

If f ( x ) does not approach any

particular real number as x

approaches a, then we say

lim f ( x ) does not exist (dne).

xa

e.g.

lim H ( x ) = 0? No.

H (x) =

1, x 0

0, x < 0

x 0

lim H ( x ) = 1? No.

x 0

lim H ( x ) dne

x 0

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Limit Theorems

Theorem
If lim f ( x ) exists, then it is unique.
xa

If c

R, then xlim
c = c.
a

lim x = a

xa

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Limit Theorems

Theorem
Suppose lim f ( x ) = L1 and lim g( x ) = L2 . Let c
xa

xa

R, n N.

lim [ f ( x ) g( x )] = lim f ( x ) lim g( x ) = L1 L2

xa
xa



lim [ f ( x ) g( x )] = lim f ( x ) lim g( x ) = L1 L2

xa

xa

xa

xa

lim [c f ( x )] = c lim f ( x ) = cL1

xa

xa

lim f ( x )

f (x)
L
= 1 , provided L2 6= 0
= xa
g( x )
lim g( x )
L2
xa

n
lim ( f ( x ))n = lim f ( x ) = ( L1 )n

lim

xa

xa

xa

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Evaluate: lim (2x2 + 3x 4)

x 1

lim (2x2 + 3x 4) = lim 2x2 + lim 3x lim 4

x 1
x 1
x 1




2
= 2 lim x + 3 lim x lim 4

x 1

x 1

=2

x 1

2


lim x

x 1

+3

x 1


lim x lim 4

x 1

x 1

= 2(1) + 3(1) 4
= 5
In general:

Remark
If f is a polynomial function, then lim f ( x ) = f ( a).
xa

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Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

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4x3 + 3x2 x + 1
x 2
x2 + 2

Evaluate: lim

4x3 + 3x2 x + 1
=
lim
x 2
x2 + 2

lim (4x3 + 3x2 x + 1)

x 2

lim ( x2 + 2)

x 2

4(2)3 + 3(2)2 (2) + 1

(2)2 + 2
17
=
6

Remark
If f is a rational function and f ( a) is defined, then lim f ( x ) = f ( a).
xa

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Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

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Theorem
Suppose lim f ( x ) exists and n
xa

lim

xa

N. Then,

q
n

f (x) =

q
n

lim f ( x ),

xa

provided lim f ( x ) > 0 when n is even.

xa

3x 1 = lim (3x 1) = 8 = 2 2
x 3
x 3
r
r
x+4
1 + 4
lim 3
= 3
= 1
x2
1 2
x 1

lim 4 3 2x dne
x 7/2
p
lim x2 4 =? (for now)
lim

x 2

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Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

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Evaluate: lim

x 3

lim

x 3

!3

2x2 5x + 1
x3 x + 4
2x2

5x + 1
3
x x+4

!3

x 3


=
=

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lim 2x2

lim (5x + 1)

x 3

lim ( x3 x + 4)

x 3
3

18 4
28

1
8

Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

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Consider: g( x ) =

3x2 4x + 1
. From earlier, lim g( x ) = 2.
x1
x 1

Can we arrive at this conclusion computationally?

Note that lim 3x2 4x + 1

x 1

But when x 6= 1,

= 0 and lim ( x 1) = 0.
x 1

(3x 1)( x 1)
3x2 4x + 1
=
= 3x 1.
x1
x1

Since we are just taking the limit as x 1,

3x2 4x + 1
= lim (3x 1) = 2.
x1
x 1
x 1
lim

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Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

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Definition
If lim f ( x ) = 0 and lim g( x ) = 0 then
xa

xa

lim

xa

is called an indeterminate form of type

f (x)
g( x )
0
.
0

Remarks:
1

f ( a)
is undefined!
g( a)
The limit above MAY or MAY NOT exist.

If f ( a) = 0 and g( a) = 0, then

Some techniques used in evaluating such limits are:

Factoring
Rationalization

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Examples

x3 + 8
Evaluate: lim 2
x 2 x 4
lim

x 2

 
0
0
x3 + 8
x2 4

=
=
=

( x + 2)( x2 2x + 4)
( x + 2)( x 2)
x 2
lim

x2 2x + 4
x2
x 2
4+4+4
2 2
lim

= 3

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Examples
x2 16

Evaluate: lim
x 4 2 x

 
0
0

x2 16

lim
x 4 2 x

=
=

x2 16 2 + x

lim
x 4 2 x 2 + x

( x2 16)(2 + x )
lim
4x
x 4

( x 4)( x + 4)(2 + x )
= lim
4x
x 4

= lim [( x + 4)(2 + x )]
x 4

= (8)(4)
= 32

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Examples

3
Evaluate: lim

x 1

x+1
2x + 2

 
0
0

x+1
lim
x 1 2x + 1

=
=
=
=

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3 2
x+1
x 3 x+1

lim
3

x 1 2x + 1
x2 3 x + 1
x+1

lim

x 1 2( x + 1)( 3 x2 3 x + 1)
1

lim

x 1 2( 3 x2 3 x + 1)
1
6

Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

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Illustration 4

Consider: f ( x ) =

3 5x2 , x < 1

4x 3,

x1

3
2
1

As x 1, the value of f ( x ) depends

on whether x < 1 or x > 1.

1
1

2
3

As x approaches 1 through values less than 1, f ( x ) approaches 2.

As x approaches 1 through values greater than 1, f ( x ) approaches 1.
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Illustration 5
Consider: g( x ) =

2
1
(

( (( )) )

)
1

Since there is no open interval I containing 0 such that g( x ) is defined on I , we

cannot let x approach 0 from both sides.
But we can say something about the values of g( x ) as x gets closer and closer to

0 from the right of 0.

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One-sided Limits

Intuitive Definition
The
limit of f ( x ) as x approaches a from the left is L
if the values of f ( x ) get closer and closer to L as the values of x get closer and
closer to a, but are less than a.
Notation:

lim f ( x ) = L

x a

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One-sided Limits

Intuitive Definition
The
limit of f ( x ) as x approaches a from the right is L
if the values of f ( x ) get closer and closer to L as the values of x get closer and
closer to a, but are greater than a
Notation:

lim f ( x ) = L

x a+

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Theorem
lim f ( x ) = L if and only if lim f ( x ) = lim f ( x ) = L

xa

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x a

x a+

Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

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f (x) =

3 5x2 , x < 1

4x 3,

x1
lim f ( x ) = lim (3 5x2 ) = 2

x 1

lim f ( x ) = lim (4x 3) = 1

x 1+

1
1

x 1+

lim f ( x ) dne

x 1

x 1

2
3

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Examples
g( x ) =

2
1

Based on the graph,

lim

x 0+

x=0

lim x dne

lim x dne

x 0
x 0

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Examples

Let p( x ) =

5 2x,

x2

x2 2x

, x>2
2x 4

lim p( x ) = lim 5 2x = 1 = 1
x 2

x 2

lim p( x ) = lim

x 2+

x 2+

x2 2x
x ( x 2)
x
= lim
= lim
=1
2x 4
x 2+ 2 ( x 2 )
x 2+ 2

lim p( x ) = 1

x 2

lim p( x ) = lim

x 3

x 3

x2 2x
96
3
=
=
2x 4
64
2

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Exercises

Evaluate: lim

x 4

3x 12

3 2x + 1

x2 + 1
,
x1
Find lim f ( x ) given: f ( x ) =

x 1

1 x + 5,


6x 4
1
Evaluate: lim
+
3x + 2
x 2/3 3x2 + 4x 4

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Limit of a Function and One-sided limits

if x < 1
if x 1

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