Limit of a function

Prepared by
Dr. Mriganka Sekhar Dutta
Definition of limit point of a set:
Let A be a subset of R. A point x∈ R is a limit point of A if every ∈ -
neighborhood V(x) of x intersects A at some point other than x, i.e. for
all ∈ >0, there exists some y not equal to x with y ∈V(x)∩A

Notice that the definition of a limit point x of A does not say anything
about whether or not x ∈ A. It could be that x ∈ A or that x not in A.

Examples:
(a) Let c < d. The set of limit points of (c, d) is [c, d].
(b) The set of limit points of Q is R since for any point x ∈ R, and any
∈ >0, there exists a rational number r∈ Q satisfying x < r < x+ ∈ and
hence r not equal to x and r∈ V(x)∩Q.
𝜺- 𝜹 definition of limit: Let 𝑓(𝑥) be a function defined on an interval
that contains 𝑥 = 𝑎, except possibly at 𝑥 = 𝑎. Then we say that,
lim 𝑓(𝑥) if for every number 𝜀 > 0 there is some number δ>0 such that
𝑥→𝑎
|𝑓(𝑥) − 𝐿| < 𝜀 whenever 0 < |𝑥 − 𝑎| < 𝛿

For the right-hand limit we say that, lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿 if for every number
𝑥→𝑎+
ε>0
there is some number 𝛿 > 0 such that
𝑓 𝑥 − 𝐿 < 𝜀 whenever 0 < 𝑥 − 𝑎 < 𝛿(or 𝑎 < 𝑥 < 𝑎 + 𝛿)

For the left-hand limit we say that, lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿 if for every number
𝑥→𝑎−
ε>0
there is some number δ>0such that
|𝑓(𝑥) − 𝐿| < 𝜀 whenever −𝛿 < 𝑥 − 𝑎 < 0(𝑜𝑟 𝑎 − 𝛿 < 𝑥 < 𝑎)

Theorem: Prove that The limit of a function is unique if it exists.

Proof. Suppose that 𝑓 ∶ 𝐴 → 𝑅 and 𝑐 ∈ 𝑅 is an
accumulation point of A ⊂ R. Assume that lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝐿1 ,
𝑥→𝑐
lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝐿1 where 𝐿1 , 𝐿2 ∈ 𝑅.
𝑥→𝑐
For every є > 0 there exist 𝛿1 , 𝛿2 > 0 such that 0 < |𝑥 −
𝑐| < 𝛿1 and 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴
є
Implies that 𝑓 𝑥 − 𝐿1 < , 0 < 𝑥 − 𝑐 < 𝛿2 and 𝑥 ∈ 𝐴
2
Implies that|𝑓(𝑥) − 𝐿2| < є/2. Let 𝛿 = min(𝛿1 , 𝛿2 ) >
0. Then, since c is an accumulation point of 𝐴, there exists
𝑥 ∈ 𝐴 such that 0 < |𝑥 − 𝑐| < 𝛿 .
It follows that|𝐿1 − 𝐿2 | ≤ |𝐿1 − 𝑓(𝑥)| + |𝑓(𝑥) − 𝐿2| <∈.
Since this holds for arbitrary ∈ >0, we must have 𝐿1 = 𝐿2 .
L'Hospital's Rule and Indeterminate Forms:
Suppose that we have one of the following cases,
𝑓 𝑥 0 𝑓 𝑥 ±∞
lim = Or lim = where 𝑎 can be any real
𝑥→𝑎 𝑔 𝑥 0 𝑥→𝑎 𝑔 𝑥 ±∞
number, infinity or negative
′
infinity. In these cases we
𝑓 𝑥 𝑓 𝑥
have,lim = lim ′
𝑥→𝑎 𝑔 𝑥 𝑥→𝑎 𝑔 𝑥
0 ±∞
Here or is called indeterminate forms.
0 ±∞
Note: There are other types of indeterminate forms as well.
Some other types are,
1) 0. ±∞
2) 1∞
3) 00
4) ∞0
5) ∞ − ∞
Evaluate each of the following limits.
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑥
1) lim
𝑥→0 𝑥
5𝑡 4 −4𝑡 2 −1
2) lim
t→1 10−𝑡−9𝑡 3
𝑒𝑥
3) lim 2
𝑥→∞ 𝑥
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑥 0
Solution:1) lim form
𝑥→0 𝑥 0
cos 𝑥
= lim (𝐴𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐿′ 𝐻𝑜𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑅𝑢𝑙𝑒) = 1
𝑥→0 1
5𝑡 4 −4𝑡 2 −1 0 20𝑡 3 −8𝑡 12 3
2) lim form = lim = = −
t→1 10−𝑡−9𝑡 3 0 t→1 −1−27𝑡 2 −28 7
𝑒𝑥 ∞ 𝑒𝑥 𝑒𝑥
3) lim 2 form = lim = lim =∞
𝑥→∞ 𝑥 ∞ 𝑥→∞ 2𝑥 𝑥→∞ 2