PROPERTIES OF LIMITS

lim c=c , wherec is a constant

x a

*The limit of a constant is the constant itself.

Examples:
a.
b.

lim 2=2
x 8

lim 5=5
x 7

lim x=a
x a

Examples:

lim x =

a.

x 1 /2

b.

x 27

1
2

lim x =27

lim ( nx + c ) =an+c
x a

Examples:
a.
b.

lim ( 5 x3 )=5 ( 3 )3=153=12

x 3

lim ( 252 x ) =252 ( 5 )=2510=15

x 5

Lim x = a, provided a exists

Examples:
a.
b.

lim 8 x 3

3
= 8(1) = 8

x 1

lim x

x 5

lim x= a

2
= (5) = 25

and

x a

lim n x=n a
x a

Examples:
a.
b.

lim

x 81

x= 81

lim x 2+ 2
x 1

=9

(1)2+2= 1+ 2= 3

Let f(x) and g(x) be any of two functions such that

lim [ f ( x ) + g ( x ) ] =lim f ( x )+ lim g(x ).
x a

Example:

x 2

x a

lim f ( x ) lim g(x )

x a

xa

exist. Then,

a.

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

= (2) +2 ( 2 ) +4
= 4+4+4
= 16

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

x a

x a

x a

Example:

a.

( x +7 ) (2 x 1)
=lim ( x +7 ) lim ( 2 x1 )
x 5

x 5

lim
x 5

= [(5+7) * (2)(5)-1)] = (12)(9) = 108

lim f (x)
f ( x ) x a
lim g ( x ) 0
lim
=
,
x a g(x )
lim g (x) provided x a
x a

Example:

a.

lim ( 2 x5)
2 ( 3 ) 5 65 1
2 x 5 x 3
lim
=
=
=
=
3
lim 3
3
3
3
x 3
x 3