AP Calculus

8.1

2/8/10

Today: Section 8.1 LHpitals Rule

Weve seen many limits. lim x 2 = ?
x2

lim

sin x = ? x 0 x x 2 5x 6 = ? lim x 1 x +1 2 x 2 3x =? lim 2 x x 5

x3 1 1+ x 1 ? Or lim 2 x 1 x 1 x 0 x Johann Bernoulli discovered a rule for finding hard limits, if they were of a particular form. What about lim If functions f(x) and g(x) are both zero at x = a, then f ( x) lim cannot simply be found by substituting x = a. The substitution produces 0/0, which x a g ( x) is called an indeterminate form. (meaning we cannot determine the value of the ratio.) Bernoullis discovery is known as LHpitals Rule (Because LHpital wrote a textbook (the first on differential calculus) with the rule in it): LHpitals Rule (First Form) Suppose that f(a) = g(a) = 0, that f(a) and g(a) exist, and that g(a) 0, then f ( x) f ' (a ) lim = x a g ( x) g ' (a )
d 1 + x 1 dx 1 + x 1 1 /(2 1 + x ) = = = d x 0 x=0 1 x dx x Look at the graph look at the values of f & g as x --> a and at the slopes as x --> a.

Using LHpitals Rule, lim

Proof: (remember that f(a) must = g(a) = 0)

f ( x) f (a ) f ( x) f (a ) lim f ( x) f ( x) 0 f ( x) f (a ) f ' ( x) xa xa xa lim = lim = lim = lim = = x a g ( x) x a g ( x) 0 xa g ( x) f (a ) xa g ( x) f (a ) g ( x) f (a ) g ' ( x) lim x a xa xa

Example 2 1 cos x lim x 0 x + x 2

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AP Calculus

8.1

2/8/10

LHpitals Rule (Stronger Form) Suppose that f(a) = g(a) = 0, that f(a) and g(a) exist, and that g(a) 0 if x a , then f ( x) f ' (a ) lim = lim xa g ( x) x a g ' (a ) Notice, we still need the indeterminate form 0/0 to start with. The stronger form says that we can take the derivative repeatedly if needed. Example 3 1+ x 1 x / 2 lim x 0 x2 LHpitals Rule works with one-sided limits, as well. Example 4 sin x cos x lim = lim+ = 2 + x 0 x 0 2x x and sin x cos x lim lim = = - 2 x 0 x x 0 2 x

Other Indeterminate Forms

LHpitals Rule works with situations where the limit ratio = /, too: f ( x) f ' (a ) lim = lim (a may be finite or infinite) xa g ( x) x a g ' (a ) Example 5 sec x a) lim x / 2 1 + tan x ln x b) lim x 2 x Sometimes were given the indeterminate form * 0: (rewrite to look like 0/0): Example 6 1 sin(h) 1 lim x sin substitute x = 1/h: lim sin( h) (=0/0) = lim =1 x h 0 h h 0 x h Sometimes we have the indeterminate form - (combine fractions to get 0/0):

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AP Calculus

8.1

2/8/10

Example 7 1 1 lim x 1 ln x x 1 combine the fractions: x 1 ln x which is now 0/0; take the derivative: = lim x 1 ( x 1) ln x 1 1/ x x 1 = lim (still 0/0; differentiate again) = lim x 1 x 1 x 1 x ln x + x 1 + ln x x 1 = = lim x 1 2 + ln x

Indeterminate Forms 1, 00, 0

Use logarithms to write in forms that we can deal with. Example 8 x 1 lim1 + x x 1 x ln1 + 1 1 x ln 1 + = let f(x) = 1 + , take the log of both sides: ln(f(x)) = x x x 1/ x 1 ln1 + lim ln( f ( x )) so x = x lim x 1/ x differentiate: 1 lim 1 =1 = x 1+ x 1 f ( x) = lim e ln( f ( x ) = e1 = e so lim1 + = lim x x x x Example 9 indeterminate form 00 lim xx +
x 0 x

ln x take the log of the function f(x) = xx : ln(f(x)) = x ln(x) = 1 x ln x 1/ x x =0 lim ; differentiate: lim = xlim 0 + x 0 + 1 / x x 0 + 1 / x 2 Page 3 of 4

AP Calculus

8.1

2/8/10

f ( x) = lim x x = lim e ln f ( x ) = e0 = 1 so xlim + + + x 0 0 x 0 Example 10 indeterminate form 0

x 1

lim x

HW: Read Section 8.1 Do Pg 423# 3-30, mult of 3, Warm-up Tuesday: # 52

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