Limits

LIMIT OF A SPRING
Consider an ideal spring that will break only if a weight of 10 or more
pounds is attached to it. Suppose we want to determine how far the spring
will stretch without breaking. We could conduct an experiment by
increasing the weight attached to the spring and measuring the spring
length s at each weight.
As the attached weight nears 10 pounds, we would need to use smaller and
smaller increments. By recording the successive spring lengths, we should
be able to determine the value L that s approaches as the weight w
approaches 10 pounds.
 LIMIT OF A FUNCTION
Let 𝑓 𝑥 be a function and a number, we say that the number 𝐿 is the limit
of 𝑓 𝑥 as 𝑥 approaches 𝑎, provided that 𝑓 𝑥 can be arbitrarily close (but
not equal) to 𝑎. In this case we write,

lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝐿
𝑥→𝑎
“the limit of 𝑓(𝑥) as 𝑥 approaches 𝑎 is 𝐿”
Find the limit of the function given by
2
𝑥 −1
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥−1
as x approaches 1

𝑥
𝑓(𝑥)
 – –
lim− 𝑓 𝑥 lim+ 𝑓 𝑥
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎

If the limit of a function exists, it is unique. This means that a

function cannot approach two different limits at the same time.

Nevertheless, the ordinary limit "does not exist"

The limit does not exist at “a”
 LIMIT OF A FUNCTION
It is incorrect to think of a limit as a number that the value of a function get
close to but can never reach. Many times the limit of 𝑓(𝑥) as 𝑥 approaches
𝑎 is simply 𝑓(𝑎).

Example: Determine lim 𝑓 3𝑥 − 5

𝑥→2

𝑥
3𝑥 − 5
LIMIT OF A FUNCTION

lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑎
𝑥→𝑎

Direct Substitution
The limit of a function can be evaluated
by direct substitution.