The Limit of a Function, f

lim f x
x a

Is a in the domain of f ?
Can be evaluated by
direct substitution of a
for x

Examples:

lim 2 x 3 3x 2 5

x 1

Yes

No

Direct substitution of a
0
0

and f is a
rational
function

for x and The

get limit
! exists and
it can be evaluated...

Case 1: Simplifying by factorisation.

Examples:

1.

x 2 3x
x 3 x 2 9

lim
1.

x3 1
x 1 x 1

lim
2.

3x 12
x 4 x 2

lim

2.

lim 4 x 9
x 0

Case 2: Multiplying the numerator and the denominator of

the function with the conjugate of the surd.

3.

Examples:

lim

lim

x x4
x 1

lim

x2
x2

x 3

4.

x 5

5.

x 1

1.

x 1
1 x

x 5

x 5 1 6 x

lim
2.

Exercises
1. Evaluate the limit.
(a lim 5 x 2 2 x 3
x 4
)

(d
)

(b)

lim

x 4 3x 6

(e)

x 2

lim x 3 2 x 2 5 x
x 3

(c)

e2 x 4
x0 2 e x

(f)

x2
x 2 x x 6

(c)

x 4 16
x 2 x 2

(f)

3
2 x 8

lim

(i)

x 0

lim

x 9
x

(c)

lim

2 x 2
x

(f)

lim

lim

x 1

lim

x 10

x2
x2 4x 3

2x 4
1 x

2. Evaluate the limit, if it exists.

(a
)

x 2 x 12
x 3
x3

(b
)

(d
)

x 2 x 12
x 3
x3

(e)

(g
)

2
x 5 25

lim

(h
)

lim

lim

x 0

lim

lim

x3 1
x 1 x 2 1

lim

x 2 81
x 9
x 3

lim

4
1 x 1

lim
x 0

3. Evaluate the limit, if it exists.

(a
)

lim

x 2
x4

(b)

(d
)

lim

x
1 x 1

(e)

x 4

x 0

x 9 3

x 0

lim
x 2

lim

x 0

x 2
x2 2x

x2 9 3
x2

(g
)

lim
x 2

x2
x2 2

(h)

lim
x 8

x 8
6 x2

(i)

1
1

x 0 x 1 x
x

lim