Calculus 1 Assessment

42 ESci 112: Calculus for Engineers I
Lesson 1.2: Limits
Lesson Summary
In calculus, we are usually dealing with complex and varied mathematical
behaviours. Up to this point, the mathematics that we have learned so far only
allows us to describe changes that happens within a certain period of time.
Instantaneous change, that is, the change that happens at a single point of
time, still cannot be defined because of the inability to divide any number by
zero.
In fact, instantaneous change can only be defined using Differential Calculus

with the help of the concept of limits. This lesson defines the idea of “limits” as
well as its application to calculus-based problems and solutions.
Learning Outcome
At the end of this lesson, the student is expected to be able to:
1. Evaluate the limit of a function, and;
2. Describe the behavior of the limit of the function graphically
Motivation Question
How can you identify the limit of an instantaneous function?
Discussion
Definition of Limits
Now let us dive into the concept of limits. Let us first define the word “limit.”
According to the Merriam Dictionary, limit is something that bounds, restrains,
or confines.
This time let us define limits in the Calculus sense. Let us start with a function
݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ, which, based on its function notation, is a function of ‫ݔ‬. We will also let ܿ
as a constant.
Definition 1.1: Limits
If there is a number ‫ ܮ‬such that, in order to make the value of

݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ as close to ‫ ܮ‬as may be desired, it is sufficient to choose
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‫ ݔ‬close enough to ܿ, but different from ܿ, then we say that the

limit of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ, as ‫ ݔ‬approaches ܿ, is ‫ܮ‬
In symbols, the above statement is expressed as
where
‫ܮ‬ ൌ ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ
௫՜௖ ܽ is a value of ‫ݔ‬
Take note that it is understood that we equate ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ to ‫ ݕ‬so that we can
represent the function as a curve on the ‫ݕݔ‬-plane.
Let us dissect the Theorem 1 starting with the Phrase “If there is a number L
such that, to make the value of ሺሻ as close to as may be desired,” which
we will call phrase A. The whole Phrase A tells us that ‫ ܮ‬is a value of ‫ݕ‬.
However, it does not necessarily mean that it is a value of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ. Remember
that we have only equated ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ to ‫ݕ‬, which means that not all values of ‫ ݕ‬are
values of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ. As was discussed in ESci 110, there are functions that are not
defined at certain values of ‫ݔ‬.
௫
For example, the curve of the function ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ , as shown in Figure 4, is
ξ௫ାଵିଵ
not defined at ‫ ݔ‬ൌ Ͳ. Hence, the curve of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ has a hole (discontinuous) at
‫ ݔ‬ൌ Ͳ. And from the graph, we see that the coordinates of the hole are ሺͲǡʹሻ
where ‫ ݔ‬ൌ Ͳ and ‫ ݕ‬ൌ ʹ. Therefore, in Figure 4, ʹ is only a value of ‫ ݕ‬but not a
value ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ.
Figure 4. The limit of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ as ‫ ݔ‬approaches Ͳ is ʹ. Adapted from “Calculus, 9th Ed.,” by R.
Larson and B.H. Edwards, 2010, Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Copyright © 2010 by Brooks/Cole,
Cengage Learning
In Figure 5, let ߝ (the lowercase Greek letter epsilon) represent a finite small
positive number. Then the part of Phrase A that says “the value of ሺሻ as
close to as may be desired” in Theorem 1 means that the value of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ lies
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somewhere in the interval ሺ‫ ܮ‬െ ߝǡ ‫ ܮ‬൅ ߝሻ. And to bring justice to the part of the
phrase which says, “as may be desired”, we can use the inequality and
absolute value. We can write Phrase A as
ȁ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ െ ‫ܮ‬ȁ ൏ ߝ
Figure 5. The ߝ-ߜ definition of the limit of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ as ‫ ݔ‬approaches ܿ. Adapted from “Calculus, 9th
Ed.,” by R. Larson and B.H. Edwards, 2010, Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Copyright © 2010 by
Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning
We have already set ߝ as a small number, and the inequality above allows the
value of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ to be really extremely close to ‫ܮ‬. We emphasize the word
“close” in phrase A because that is just what we need the ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ to be. We do
not need ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ to be equal to ‫ܮ‬, just extremely close. But, of course, ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ can
be equal to ‫( ܮ‬when ȁ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ െ ‫ܮ‬ȁ ൌ Ͳ), as indicated by the inequality ȁ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ െ
‫ܮ‬ȁ ൌ Ͳ. And ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ‫ ܮ‬is how we desire the value ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ to be, which requires
the simplest solution compared to when ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ cannot equal ‫ܮ‬.
Now we move on to Phrase B which says that “it is sufficient to choose

close enough to , but different from .” To help us visualize Phrase B, like
what we did with Phrase A, let us use another small positive number which
we will set as ߜ. Now, Phrase B would mean that the value of ‫ ݔ‬can be within
either interval ሺܿ െ ߜǡ ܿሻ or interval ሺܿǡ ܿ ൅ ߜሻ. Take note that the intervals
mentioned are all open intervals. This means that ‫ ݔ‬cannot be equal to ܿ െ ߜ,
ܿ, or ܿ ൅ ߜ, which is appropriate since we want ‫ ݔ‬to be “close enough to ܿ”
and Phrase B says ‫ ݔ‬is “different from ܿ.” This is all aptly represented by the
following double inequality
Ͳ ൏ ȁ‫ ݔ‬െ ܿ ȁ ൏ ߜ
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Definition 1.2: Augustin-Louis Cauchy’s ࢿ-ࢾ Definition of

Limit
Let ݂ be a function defined on an open interval containing ܿ (except

possibly at ܿ) and let ‫ ܮ‬be a real number. The statement
݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ‫ܮ‬

௫՜௖
means that for each ߝ ൐ Ͳ there exists a ߜ ൐ Ͳ such that if
Ͳ ൏ ȁ‫ ݔ‬െ ܿ ȁ ൏ ߜ, then ȁ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ െ ‫ܮ‬ȁ ൏ ߝ.
௫
Let us go back to the function ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ . This time we evaluate its limit as
ξ௫ାଵିଵ
‫ ݔ‬approaches Ͳ. As we discussed earlier, ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ is not defined at ‫ ݔ‬ൌ Ͳ.
However, this is not a problem; since, when evaluating limits, we just need to
observe the value which ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ gets close to as ‫ ݔ‬approaches a value which, in
this case, is 0. In Figure 4, as ‫ ݔ‬approaches Ͳ, the value of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ gets closer to
2. Two (2) is not a value of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ; however, this number is the limit of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ as ‫ݔ‬
approaches 2. We can now write
݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ʹ
௫՜଴
The use of ߝ and ߜ in the ߝ-ߜ definition of limit is to emphasize for a limit to
exist, the values of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ must be clearly getting close to ‫ ܮ‬that ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ almost
equals L as ‫ ݔ‬approaches ܿ. To demonstrate, let us set up the table of values
of ‫ ݔ‬and ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ. Let us choose a small positive number to be used as ߜ, so, we
let
ߜ ൌ ͲǤͳ
Then the intervals we will use are
ሺܿ െ ߜǡ ܿሻ ൌ ሺͲ െ ͲǤͳǡͲሻ
ൌ ሺെͲǤͳǡͲሻ
and
ሺܿǡ ܿ ൅ ߜሻ ൌ ሺͲǡͲǤͳሻ
The table in Figure 6 demonstrates how values of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ get closer to 2 as ‫ݔ‬
values approach Ͳ from both its left and right sides.
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௫
Figure 6. Use of table of values to determine the limit of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ as ‫ ݔ‬approaches 0.
ξ௫ାଵିଵ
Adapted from “Calculus, 9th Ed.,” by R. Larson and B.H. Edwards, 2010, Belmont, CA:
Brooks/Cole. Copyright © 2010 by Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning
With limits properly defined, let us set that from here on, in this
module, the expression
݈݅݉ ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ‫ܮ‬

௫՜௖
implies two statements:
(1) The limit exists, and
(2) That limit is ‫ܮ‬
Example 1.4: Limit of a Function

Find the limit of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ as ‫ ݔ‬approaches 2, where ݂ is defined as
ͳǡ ‫ʹ ് ݔ‬
݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ቄ
Ͳǡ ‫ ݔ‬ൌ ʹ
Solution:
Since for all values except ʹ, the value of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ is 1, it follows that the only
number the ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ approaches as ‫ ݔ‬approaches 2 would be 1. This is evident
in both the graphical and the numerical approach of finding a limit.
a. Numerical approach.
This approach makes use of tables of values.
‫ݔ‬ 1.09 1.009 1.0009 2 2.0001 2.001 2.01

݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ 1 1 1 ? 1 1 1
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In finding limits, we are only concerned about what values the ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ
approach to. The table of values is enough to tell us that the limit of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ as
‫ ݔ‬approaches 2 is ͳ.
b. Graphical approach
Figure 7. The limit of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ as ‫ ݔ‬approaches 2 is 1. Adapted from “Calculus, 9th Ed.,” by R.
Larson and B.H. Edwards, 2010, Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Copyright © 2010 by
The graph also tells us the same. The function ݂ approaches ͳ as ‫ݔ‬
approaches 2. We are not concerned on what happens to ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ when ‫ ݔ‬is 2.
So, ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ being equal to 0 when ‫ ݔ‬equals 2 has on effect on the fact that the
limit of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ as ‫ ݔ‬approaches ʹ is 1.
Therefore,
݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ͳ
௫՜ଶ
With limits, we are only concerned of where the ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ is moving

towards. We do not care about what happens to its value
when it gets to its destination or if it ever gets there.
Cases Where Limits Do Not Exist
Example 1.8: When Behaviors from Left and Right Differ

ȁ௫ȁ
Show that the limit does not exist.
௫՜଴ ௫
Solution:
ȁ௫ȁ
Let us define the domain and range of the function ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ starting with
௫
the denominator function. The denominator is an absolute value. Recall the
definition of absolute value function which always results to a positive
number. This is only possible since all negative values of ‫ ݔ‬has to be
multiplied by െͳ, hence the negative sign of ‫ ݔ‬if ‫ ݔ‬൏ Ͳ.
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‫ݔ‬ǡ ݂݅‫ ݔ‬൒ Ͳ

ȁ‫ ݔ‬ȁ ൌ ൜
െ‫ݔ‬ǡ ݂݅‫ ݔ‬൏ Ͳ
Since the whole function is the absolute value of ‫ ݔ‬divided by ‫ݔ‬, then we
divide the equation above by ‫ݔ‬.
‫ݔ‬
ȁ‫ ݔ‬ȁ ǡ ݂݅‫ ݔ‬൐ Ͳ
‫ݔ‬
ൌ ൞െ‫ݔ‬
‫ݔ‬ ǡ ݂݅‫ ݔ‬൏ Ͳ
‫ݔ‬
Take note that the domain in the first line of the definition of the function
଴
changed. This is because if ‫ ݔ‬ൌ Ͳ, the result will be . Hence, the function is
଴
not defined at ‫ ݔ‬ൌ Ͳ and Ͳ is omitted from the domain.
We simplify
ȁ‫ ݔ‬ȁ ͳǡ ݂݅‫ ݔ‬൐ Ͳ
ൌ ൜
‫ݔ‬ െͳǡ ݂݅‫ ݔ‬൏ Ͳ
And the graph of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ is
Figure 8. The limit of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ as ‫ ݔ‬approaches 0 does not exist. Adapted from “Calculus, 9th
We observe from the graph that as ‫ ݔ‬approaches zero from the left ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ
approaches zero -1. But as ‫ ݔ‬approaches Ͳ from the right side, ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ
approaches a different number, 1.
The limit of a function must be a single number ‫ ܮ‬where the values of the
function tends to go towards. The limit of a function is a value which ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ
can get close as much as desired. In this case, ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ is not approaching any
single number. No matter how close ‫ ݔ‬is approaching zero, the values of
݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ will not move beyond -1 and 1 to get closer to a single number.
Therefore, that number ‫ܮ‬, the limit of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ as ‫ ݔ‬approaches 0 does not
exist.
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The limit of a function, if it exists, is unique.
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Example 1.9: Unbounded Behavior
Determine the limit
ͳ

௫՜଴ ‫ ݔ‬ଶ
Solution:
ଵ
The function in this example is ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ . We recall from Precalculus that
௫మ
the given function has a vertical asymptote, ‫ ݔ‬ൌ Ͳ. Therefore, we know that
݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ cannot ever be defined at ‫ ݔ‬ൌ Ͳ. However, since we are only defining
the limit of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻǡ we just need to see what happens to ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ when ‫ ݔ‬gets
near 0. And we need to determine the value of ‫ ܮ‬which ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ approaches to
as ‫ ݔ‬approaches Ͳ, in other words, as the curve of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ approaches its
vertical asymptote. The curve of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ is as shown below.
The caption of the figure already tells us that the limit does not exist. But let
us determine why it is so. What we know so far is that for a limit to exist,
݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ must be clearly approaching a single number as ‫ ݔ‬approaches a
certain value. The values of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻǡ in this example, however, do not close
into a single value. Instead, its value keeps increasing with no bound. It is
further emphasized by its table of values around ‫ ݔ‬ൌ Ͳ.
‫ݔ‬ -0.1 -0.01 -0.001 0 0.001 0.01 0.1
݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ 100 10,000 1,000,000 ? 1,000,000 10,000 100
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The values of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ does not approach any number at all. On the contrary, it
is getting further away. In other words, ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ becomes infinite as ‫ݔ‬
approaches Ͳ, which is written in symbols as
ͳ
ൌλ
௫՜଴ ‫ ݔ‬ଶ
The very concept of infinity is the complete opposite of limits. And,
therefore,
ଵ
ൌdoes not exist.
௫՜଴ ௫ మ
Example 1.10: Oscillating Behavior
Determine the limit
ͳ

௫՜଴ ‫ݔ‬
Solution:
ଵ
Let ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ . It is plain in the figure below that as ‫ ݔ‬approaches zero, the
௫
values of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ keep swinging between െͳ and ͳ. The values of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ does
not approach a certain number. It cannot make up its mind whether to
approach െͳ or ͳ. Since ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ is not faithful in pursuing a single number,
therefore, it has no limit as ‫ ݔ‬approaches 0.
Even the numerical approach tells the same thing. Its approach keeps on
changing direction.
‫ݔ‬ ʹȀߨ ʹȀ͵ߨ ʹȀͷߨ ʹȀ͹ߨ ʹȀͻߨ ʹȀͳͳߨ ‫ݔ‬՜Ͳ
Limit does not
݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ͳ െͳ ͳ െͳ 1 െͳ
exist
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ଵ
And, therefore, does not exist.
௫՜଴ ௫
From the three earlier examples, we can list the common behaviors of
functions where there are no limits that exist.
Common Types of Behavior Associated with

Nonexistence of a Limit
1. ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ approaches a from the right side while it approaches a different
number from the left side.
2. ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ increases or decreases without bound as approaches ܿ.
3. ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ oscillates between two fixed values as ‫ ݔ‬approaches ܿ.
Source: “Calculus, 9th Ed.,” by R. Larson and B.H. Edwards, 2010, Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Copyright © 2010 by Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning
Assessment
Complete the table and use the result to estimate the limit. Use a graphing
utility to graph the function to confirm your result.
‫ݔ‬െʹ
1.
௫՜ଶ ‫ ݔ‬ଶ െ Ͷ
ξͶ െ ‫ ݔ‬െ ͵
2.
௫՜ିହ ‫ݔ‬൅ͷ
ሾ‫ݔ‬Ȁሺ‫ ݔ‬൅ ͳሻሿ െ ሺͶȀͷሻ

3.
௫՜ଷ ‫ݔ‬െͶ
‫ ݔ‬െ ͳ
4.
௫՜଴ ‫ݔ‬
Sketch the graph of the following functions
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݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ
௫՜ଵ
5. ሺ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ൅ ͵ሻ 6.
௫՜ଵ
‫ ݔ‬ଶ ൅ ͵ǡ ‫ͳ ് ݔ‬
݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ൜
ʹǡ ‫ݔ‬ൌͳ
ʹ ‫ݔ݀ݔ‬
7. 8. න
௫՜ହ ‫ݔ‬ െͷ ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ξ‫ ݔ‬ଶ െ ͳ͸
ͳ ‫ݔ‬

9. 10. ௫՜గΤଶ
௫՜଴ ‫ݔ‬
Instructions on how to submit student output

Please see class policies for details.
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42 ESci 112: Calculus for Engineers I

Lesson 1.2: Limits

In fact, instantaneous change can only be defined using Differential Calculus

Definition 1.1: Limits

If there is a number ‫ ܮ‬such that, in order to make the value of

‫ ݔ‬close enough to ܿ, but different from ܿ, then we say that the

In symbols, the above statement is expressed as

Now we move on to Phrase B which says that “it is sufficient to choose 

Definition 1.2: Augustin-Louis Cauchy’s ࢿ-ࢾ Definition of

Let ݂ be a function defined on an open interval containing ܿ (except

 ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ‫ܮ‬

means that for each ߝ ൐ Ͳ there exists a ߜ ൐ Ͳ such that if

Ͳ ൏ ȁ‫ ݔ‬െ ܿ ȁ ൏ ߜ, then ȁ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ െ ‫ܮ‬ȁ ൏ ߝ.

Then the intervals we will use are

݈݅݉ ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ‫ܮ‬

implies two statements:

(1) The limit exists, and

(2) That limit is ‫ܮ‬

Example 1.4: Limit of a Function

‫ݔ‬ 1.09 1.009 1.0009 2 2.0001 2.001 2.01

With limits, we are only concerned of where the ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ is moving

Cases Where Limits Do Not Exist

Example 1.8: When Behaviors from Left and Right Differ

‫ݔ‬ǡ ݂݅‫ ݔ‬൒ Ͳ

And the graph of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ is

The limit of a function, if it exists, is unique.

Example 1.9: Unbounded Behavior

Determine the limit

Example 1.10: Oscillating Behavior

Determine the limit

Common Types of Behavior Associated with

ሾ‫ݔ‬Ȁሺ‫ ݔ‬൅ ͳሻሿ െ ሺͶȀͷሻ

Sketch the graph of the following functions

ͳ   ‫ݔ‬

Instructions on how to submit student output

You might also like

Now we move on to Phrase B which says that “it is sufficient to choose

݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ‫ܮ‬

ͳ ‫ݔ‬