Illustrating Limit of a

Function
 Consider a function f of a single variable x. Consider a
constant c which the variable x will approach (c may or
may not be in the domain of f). The limit, to be denoted by
L, is the unique real value that f(x) will approach as x
approaches c. In symbols:

lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝐿
𝑥→𝑐

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

 lim (3𝑥 − 1) = 5
𝑥→2
lim (3𝑥 − 1) lim (3𝑥 − 1)
𝑥→2− 𝑥→2+

x f(x) x f(x)
1 2 3 8
1.4 3.2 2.5 6.5
1.999 4.997 2.001 5.003

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

 lim (3𝑥 − 1) = 5
𝑥→2
x f(x)
1 2
1.4 3.2
1.999 4.997

x f(x)
3 8
2.5 6.5
2.001 5.003

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

 2
lim (𝑥 + 2𝑥 − 3)= 21
𝑥→4
lim (𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 3) lim (𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 3)
𝑥→4− 𝑥→4+

x f(x) x f(x)
3 12 5 32
3.6 17.16 4.2 23.04
3.999 20.990 4.001 21.010

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

lim (𝑥 + 2𝑥 − 3)= 21
2
𝑥→4
x f(x)
3 12
3.6 17.16
3.999 20.990

x f(x)
5 32
4.2 23.04
4.001 21.010

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

 𝑥+5 𝑥 2 −5𝑥+6
lim = lim 2 =
𝑥→2 2𝑥 −1 𝑥→3 𝑥 −2𝑥 −3

𝑥+2
lim =
𝑥→3 𝑥+4

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

 Limit Laws
1. Limit of a Constant
lim 𝑘 = 𝑐
𝑥→𝑐

lim 3 = 4 lim 9 = −2
𝑥→4 𝑥→−2

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

 2. Substitution Law or Identity Theorem
lim 𝑥 = 𝑐
𝑥→𝑐

lim 𝑥 = 4 lim 𝑥 = −2
𝑥→4 𝑥→−2

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

 For the next 6 limits laws, assume that the limits of f and g
both exist as x approaches c and that they are L and M
respectively.

lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝐿
𝑥→𝑐
lim 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑀
𝑥→𝑐

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

 3. Constant Multiple Theorem
lim 𝑘 ∙ 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑘 ∙ lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑘 ∙ 𝐿
𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐

Example:
lim f x = 4 , find lim 8 ∙ 𝑓 𝑥
𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐
= lim 8 ∙ 𝑓 𝑥
𝑥→𝑐
= 8 ∙ lim 𝑓 𝑥
𝑥→𝑐
= (8)(4)
= 32

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

 4. Addition/Subtraction Theorem
lim [𝑓 𝑥 + 𝑔 𝑥 ] = lim 𝑓 𝑥 + lim 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝐿 + 𝑀
𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐

lim [𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑔 𝑥 ] = lim 𝑓 𝑥 − lim 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝐿 − 𝑀

𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐

Example: lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 4 and lim 𝑓 𝑥 = −5, find:

𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐
lim [𝑓 𝑥 + 𝑔 𝑥 ] = 4 + (– 5) = – 1
𝑥→𝑐
lim [𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑔 𝑥 ] = 4 – (– 5) = 9
𝑥→𝑐

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

 5. Multiplication Theorem
lim [𝑓 𝑥 ∙ 𝑔 𝑥 ] = lim 𝑓 𝑥 ∙ lim 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝐿 ∙ 𝑀
𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐

Example: lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 4 and lim 𝑓 𝑥 = −5, find:

𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐
lim [𝑓 𝑥 ∙ 𝑔 𝑥 ] = 4 ∙ −5 = −20
𝑥→𝑐

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

 6. Division Theorem
lim 𝑓(𝑥) 𝐿
𝑓(𝑥) 𝑥→𝑐
lim = =
𝑥→𝑐 𝑔(𝑥) lim 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑀
𝑥→𝑐

Example: lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 4 and lim 𝑓 𝑥 = −5, find:

𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐
𝑓(𝑥) lim 𝑓(𝑥) 4 4
𝑥→𝑐
lim = = = −
𝑥→𝑐 𝑔(𝑥) lim 𝑔(𝑥)
𝑥→𝑐
−5 5

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

 7. Power Theorem
𝑝
𝑝
lim 𝑓(𝑥) = lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿𝑝
𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐

Example: lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 4 find:

𝑥→𝑐
3
lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 43 = 64
𝑥→𝑐

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

 8. Radical Root Theorem
𝑛 𝑛 𝑛
lim 𝑓(𝑥) = lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿
𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐

Example: lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 4 find:

𝑥→𝑐

lim 𝑓(𝑥) = lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 4 = 2

𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐

Example: lim 𝑓 𝑥 = −4 find:

𝑥→𝑐
lim 𝑓(𝑥) = lim 𝑓(𝑥) = −4 = 𝐷𝑁𝐸
𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

 lim (2𝑥 + 1)
𝑥→1

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

 lim (3𝑥 4 − 2𝑥 − 1)
𝑥→0

3.1 Illustrating a Limit of a Function

Illustrating Limit of a
Function