Single Variable Calculus

Department of Mathematics
SRM University-AP, Amaravati
Example: Let

 3−x if x < 2
f (x) =
 x +1 if x > 2
2

(a) Does lim f (x) exist?

x→2
(b) Does lim f (x) exist?
x→3
 The Limit Laws

Theorem 1
If L, M, c, and k are real numbers and

lim f (x) = L and lim g(x) = M.

x→c x→c

Then
1 Sum Rule: lim (f (x) + g(x)) = L + M
x→c
2 Difference Rule: lim (f (x) − g(x)) = L − M
x→c
3 Constant Multiple Rule: lim (kf (x)) = k .L (any number k)
x→c
4 Product Rule: lim (f (x).g(x)) = L.M
x→c
f (x) L
5 Quotient Rule: lim = if M 6= 0.
x→c g(x) M
6 Power Rule: lim [f (x)]n = Ln , n a positive integer.
x→c
√n
lim n f (x) = L = L1/n , n a positive integer.
p
7 Root Rule:
x→c
Example: Use the limit laws in Theorem 1 to find the following limits.

(a) lim (x 3 + 4x 2 − 3)
x→c

(x 4 + x 2 − 1)
(b) lim
x→c x2 + 5
 p
(c) lim 4x 2 − 3
x→−2

√
x 2 + 100 − 10
(d) lim
x→0 x2
 f (x) − 5
(e) If lim = 3, find lim f (x).
x→2 x −2 x→2

f (x) − 10
(f) If lim = 12, find lim f (x).
x→10 x −5 x→10
 Practice Problems

Exercise 1: Suppose lim f (x) = 10 and lim g(x) = −5. Find

x→c x→c

(a) lim (f (x) + g(x)) (b) lim 5f (x)g(x)

x→c x→c

g(x)
(c) lim (2f (x) + 3g(x)) (d) lim
x→c x→c f (x)+ g(x)
Exercise 2: Evaluate the following limits, if it exist?
x +4
(a) lim
x→3 x 2 + 7x + 12
1 1
x−1
+ x+1
(b) lim
x→0 x
√
x2 + 8 − 3
(c) lim
x→−1 x +1
f (x) f (x)
Exercise 3: If lim = 1, find the values of lim f (x) and lim .
x→−2 x2 x→−2 x→−2 x
 The Sandwich Theorem

Theorem 2
Suppose that g(x) ≤ f (x) ≤ h(x) for all x in some open interval containing c,
except possibly at x = c itself. Suppose also that

lim g(x) = lim h(x) = L.

x→c x→c

Then lim f (x) = L.

x→c
Example: Given a function u that satisfies

x2 x2
1− ≤ u(x) ≤ 1 + for all x 6= 0.
4 2
Find lim u(x).
x→0
Example: Evaluate the following limit.
 
1
lim x 2 cos
x→0 x
 Practice Problems

Exercise 1: If 4x − 9 ≤ f (x) ≤ x 2 − 4x + 7 for x ≥ 0, find lim f (x).

x→4

Exercise 2: Does
  the following limits exist?
1
(a) lim x sin
x→0 x
 
2
(b) lim x 4 cos
x→0 x
 
1
(c) lim x 2 sin
x→0 x

Reference
Thomas’ Calculus, 14th Edition by Pearson ( George B. Thomas, JR.
Joel Hass, Christopher Heil and Maurice D. Weir), 2018.