Question Sheet 1, Limits.

1. Without detailed proofs evaluate the following limits.

x2 − x − 2 x2 − x − 2
i) lim ii) lim
x→1 x+1 x→−1 x+1
 
1 2 9−t
iii) lim − iv) lim √ .
x→1 x − 1 x2 − 1 t→9 3 − t
1
− 21
2 8−t
v) lim . vi) lim √ .
x→2 x − 2 t→8 2− 3t
Hint: In part (iv) use the important identity
√ √  √ √ 
a−b= a− b a+ b

for all a, b ≥ 0. This follows from the “difference of squares” formula

x2 − y 2 = (x − y) (x + y)

with a = x2 and b = y 2 .
For part (vi) use a similar result based on

x3 − y 3 = (x − y) x2 + xy + y 2 .

2. Use the ε − δ definition to prove the following limits.

x2 + 3x + 2 √
i) lim x3 = 8, ii) lim = −1, iii) lim x = 3.
x→2 x→−2 x+2 x→9

3. i) Show by means of an example that limx→a {f (x) + g (x)} may exist

even though neither limx→a f (x) or limx→a g (x) exist.

ii) Do the same for limx→a f (x) g (x).

Hint: Look in the notes to find a function h (x) for which limx→a h (x)
does not exist for some a. Then try to construct f and g from this h.

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4. Let
x2 − 1
F (x) = .
|x − 1|
For what x is this well-defined?

i) Find limx→1+ F (x)

ii) limx→1− F (x).

iii) Does limx→1 F (x) exist?

iv) Sketch the graph of F (x) , x ∈ R.

5. Sketch the graph of

 2
 x − 2, x < 2
f (x) = 3, x=2
8 − x2 x > 2.


Use the ε − δ definition to evaluate the following limits.

i) lim f (x) and ii) lim f (x) .

x→2− x→2+

Does limx→2 f (x) exist?

6. Prove, by verifying the definition, that

2 − x3
lim = −1.
x→∞ x3 + 2

What is
2 − x3
lim ?
x→−∞ x3 + 2

7. Write out the symbolic definitions for each of the following limits.

lim f (x) = +∞, lim f (x) = −∞

x→a+ x→a−

lim f (x) = +∞, lim f (x) = −∞

x→+∞ x→−∞

lim f (x) = −∞, lim f (x) = +∞

x→+∞ x→−∞

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 8. Let
x
G (x) = for x 6= 1 or − 1.
x2 −1
i) Prove, by verifying the definition (the first part of Question 7), that

lim G (x) = +∞.

x→1+

Hint. It may help to look at the partial fraction expansion for G (x).

ii) Prove, by verifying the definition (the second part of Question 7),
that
lim G (x) = −∞.
x→1−

iii) Evaluate
lim G (x) and lim G (x) .
x→−1+ x→−1−

iv) Evaluate
lim G (x) and lim G (x) ,
x→+∞ x→−∞

if they exist.

v) Sketch the graph of G.

9. Define H : R → R by
1
H (x) = + x.
x2 +1

Prove by verifying the definitions that

lim H (x) = +∞ and lim H (x) = −∞.

x→+∞ x→−∞

Sketch the graph of H.

10. Define f : R → R by
(
1 if x is rational
f (x) = .
0 if x is irrational

(i) Use the ε − δ definition to prove that

lim f (x)
x→0

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 does not exist.

Hints Look at the proof that limx→0 sin (π/x) does not exist. So use
proof by contradiction and assume the limit, L, exists. This means that
the definition of limit holds, and so for each and every ε > 0 we can find
a certain δ > 0 with certain properties. Choose ε = 1/3 and so, with the
δ that the definition gives, we have 0 < |x| < δ ⇒ |f (x) − L| < 1/3.
Show that this leads to a contradiction.

(ii) Prove that

lim xf (x)
x→0

does exist.

11. Using the Limit Rules evaluate

i)
3x2 + 4x + 1
lim ,
x→0 x2 + 2x + 3

ii)
3x2 + 4x + 1
lim ,
x→∞ x2 + 2x + 3

iii)
3x2 + 4x + 1
lim .
x→−1 x2 + 2x + 3

12. (i) What is wrong with the argument:

π  π 
lim x3 sin = lim x3 × lim sin
x→0 x x→0 x→0 x
by the Product Rule
π 
= 0 × lim sin
x→0 x
= 0.

(ii) Evaluate π 
3
lim x sin .
x→0 x

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13. Recall that in the lectures we have shown that
ex − 1
lim = 1.
x→0 x
Use this to evaluate the following limits which include the hyperbolic
functions.
(i)
sinh x
lim ,
x→0 x
ii)
tanh x
lim ,
x→0 x
iii)
cosh x − 1
lim .
x→0 x2

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14. Recall that in the lectures we have shown that
sin θ
lim = 1.
θ→0 θ

Use this to evaluate (without using L’Hôpital’s Rule)

(i)
θ
lim .
θ→0 tan θ

(ii) Explain carefully why the Composition Rule for limits allows you
to evaluate
sin θ2


sin 3θ
a) lim , b) lim .
θ→0 2θ θ→0 θ2
iii) Prove that
sin bx − sin ax
lim = b − a,
x→0 x
for all a, b ∈ R.

15. Prove that

lim sin (πx)
x→+∞

does not exist.

Hint: Proof by contradiction, so assume the limit does exist. Choose

ε = 1/3 in the definition and then find two sufficiently large values of
x for which sin (πx) has quite different values. This should lead to a
contradiction.

16. Let m ≥ 0 be given. By looking at the series definition of ey prove that

y m+1
ey > (1)
(m + 1)!

for all y > 0.

Deduce that
ym
lim = 0.
y→∞ ey

We say that ey grows faster (as y → ∞) than any power of y.

(That the sequence {nm /en }n≥1 is null was seen in MATH10242.)

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17. Use the previous question to verify the definition that

lim tanh x = 1.
x→+∞

Why does this imply

lim tanh x = −1.
x→−∞

Sketch the graph of tanh x.

18. Prove that

2 3
 
 x
e − 1 − x − x x  < 2 x4 
 
−
 2 6  4!
for |x| < 1/2.

Deduce
ex − 1 − x − x2 /2 1
lim = .
x→0 x3 6
Use this to evaluate
sinh x − x
lim .
x→0 x3
19. (Hard) Let π 
h (x) = x sin
x
for x 6= 0. We know from the lectures that limx→0 h (x) = 0.

Can we use the Theorem of Composition of limits to say anything about

(i) lim h (h (x)) ,

x→0

  π 1/2
(ii) lim x sin ,
x→0+ x

√
 
π
(iii) lim x sin √ .
x→0+ x