MAT 120: Calculus and

Analytic Geometry I

Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif

Lecturer in Mathematics
Department of General Education
Canadian University of Bangladesh

Lesson 02
 Lecture Outline

Indeterminate Forms of Limits

Methods of Evaluating Indeterminate Forms

Factoring Method (0/0 Form)

L'Hospital's Rule (0/0 or ∞/∞ Form)

Division of Each Term by Highest Power of Variable (∞/∞ Form)

MAT 120 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 02

 Indeterminate Form
The term “indeterminate” means an unknown value. The indeterminate form is a
mathematical expression that we cannot be able to determine the original value even after
the substitution of the limits. In this lesson, we are going to discuss what is the
indeterminate form of limits, different types of indeterminate forms in algebraic
expressions with examples.

In Mathematics, we cannot be able to find solutions for some form of mathematical

expressions. Such expressions are called indeterminate forms. In most of the cases, the
indeterminate form occurs while taking the ratio of two functions, such that both of the
function approaches to zero in the limit. Such cases are called “indeterminate form 0/0”.
Similarly, the indeterminate form can be obtained in the addition, subtraction,
multiplication, exponential operations also.

MAT 120 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 02

 Indeterminate Forms of Limits
Some forms of limits are called indeterminate if the limiting behavior of individual parts of
the given expression is not able to determine the overall limit.

𝑓 𝑥
If we have the limits like, lim 𝑓 𝑥 = lim 𝑔 𝑥 = 0, then lim
𝑥→0 𝑥→0 𝑥→0 𝑔 𝑥
= 00 .
That is, if the limits are applied for the given function, then it becomes 0/0, which is known
as indeterminate forms.

In Mathematics, there are seven indeterminate forms that include 0, 1 and ∞, They are

0 ∞
0×∞ ∞−∞ 00 1∞ ∞0
0 ∞

Remarks: If a limit is confirmed as infinity, then it is not indeterminate since the limit is
determined as infinity.
MAT 120 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 02
How to Evaluate Indeterminate Forms?
There are three methods used to evaluate indeterminate forms. They are:

❑ Factoring Method (0/0 Form)

In the factoring method, the expressions are factorized to their maximum simplest form.
After that, the limit value should be substituted.

❑ L'Hospital's Rule (0/0 or ∞/∞ Form)

In this method, the derivative of each term is taken in each step successively until at least
one of the terms becomes free of the variable. It means that at least one term becomes
constant.

❑ Division of Each Term by Highest Power of Variable (∞/∞ Form)

In this method, each term in numerator and denominator is divided by the variable of the
highest power in the expression, and then, the limit value is obtained.

MAT 120 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 02

 Factoring Method (0/0 Form)
Example: Evaluate
2𝑥 2 − 7𝑥 + 6
lim
𝑥→2 5𝑥 2 − 11𝑥 + 2

Solution: By factoring the numerator 2𝑥 2 − 7𝑥 + 6 into 𝑥 − 2 2𝑥 − 3 and the denominator

5𝑥 2 − 11𝑥 + 2 into 𝑥 − 2 5𝑥 − 1 we get:

2𝑥 2 − 7𝑥 + 6 2𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 6 2𝑥 𝑥 − 2 − 3 𝑥 − 2
lim = lim = lim
𝑥→2 5𝑥 2 − 11𝑥 + 2 𝑥→2 5𝑥 2 − 10𝑥 − 𝑥 + 2 𝑥→2 5𝑥 𝑥 − 2 − 1 𝑥 − 2

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

Now we can just substitute 𝑥 = 2 to get the limit:

2𝑥 − 3 2 ∙ 2 − 3 𝟏
lim = =
𝑥→2 5𝑥 − 1 5∙2−1 𝟗

MAT 120 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 02

 Factoring Method (0/0 Form)
Example: Find the limit of
𝑥2 + 𝑥 − 6
lim
𝑥→−3 𝑥+3
0
Solution: If we plug in 𝑥 = −3 in the given function, then we will get which is an
0
indeterminate form. So we will solve this limit by factorization method.

𝑥2 + 𝑥 − 6 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 − 2𝑥 − 6
lim = lim
𝑥→−3 𝑥+3 𝑥→−3 𝑥+3
𝑥 𝑥+3 −2 𝑥+3 𝑥+3 𝑥−2
= lim = lim = lim 𝑥 − 2
𝑥→−3 𝑥+3 𝑥→−3 𝑥+3 𝑥→−3

Now we can plug in 𝑥 = −3 directly

lim 𝑥 − 2 = −3 − 2 = −𝟓
𝑥→−3

MAT 120 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 02

 L'Hospital's Rule (0/0 or ∞/∞ Form)
0 ∞
L’Hospital’s Rule provides a method for evaluating indeterminate forms of type or .
0 ∞
Let 𝑎 be either a finite number or infinity.
𝑓 𝑥 𝑓′ 𝑥
❑ If lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 0 and lim 𝑔 𝑥 = 0, then lim 𝑔 𝑥 = lim ;
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎 𝑔′ 𝑥
𝑓 𝑥 𝑓′ 𝑥
❑ If lim 𝑓 𝑥 = ∞ and lim 𝑔 𝑥 = ∞, then similarly lim 𝑔 𝑥 = lim ;
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎 𝑔′ 𝑥

This rule appeared in 1696 in the first book on differential calculus published by French mathematician
Guillaume De L'Hospital (1661−1704).
We can apply L'Hospital's rule to indeterminate forms of type 0 ∙ ∞, ∞ − ∞, 00 , 1∞ , ∞0 as well. The first
0 ∞
two indeterminate forms 0 ∙ ∞ and ∞ − ∞ can be reduced to the forms 0 or ∞ using algebraic
transformations. The indeterminate forms 00 , 1∞ and ∞0 can be reduced to the form 0 ∙ ∞ with the
help of identity
𝑔 𝑥
𝑓 𝑥 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑒 ln 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑒 𝑔 𝑥 ln 𝑓 𝑥
L'Hospital's rule also holds for one-sided limits.
MAT 120 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 02
 L'Hospital's Rule (0/0 Form)
Example: Evaluate each of the following limits by applying L'Hospital's rule.
sin 𝜋𝑥 𝑒 1 Τ𝑥 − 1 sin 𝑥 − 𝑥
𝐚. lim 𝐛. lim 𝐜. lim
𝑥→1 ln 𝑥 𝑥→∞ 1Τ𝑥 𝑥→0 𝑥2

Solution: a. As 𝑥 → 1, the numerator sin 𝜋𝑥 → 0 and the denominator ln 𝑥 → 0. Therefore, we can

apply L’Hospital’s rule. We obtain

sin 𝜋𝑥 𝜋 cos 𝜋𝑥
lim = lim = lim 𝜋𝑥 cos 𝜋𝑥 = 𝜋 ∙ 1 cos 𝜋 = 𝜋 ∙ −1 = −𝝅
𝑥→1 ln 𝑥 𝑥→1 1/𝑥 𝑥→1

1
b. As 𝑥 → ∞, the numerator 𝑒 1/𝑥 − 1 → 0 and the denominator → 0. Therefore, we can apply
𝑥
L’Hospital’s rule. We obtain
1
𝑒 1 Τ𝑥
−1 𝑒 1 Τ𝑥 −
lim = lim 𝑥 2 = lim 𝑒 1/𝑥 = 𝑒 1/∞ = 𝑒 0 = 𝟏
𝑥→∞ 1Τ𝑥 𝑥→∞ 1 𝑥→∞
−
𝑥2
MAT 120 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 02
 L'Hospital's Rule (0/0 Form)
c. As 𝑥 → 0, both the numerator and denominator approach zero. Therefore, we can apply
L’Hospital’s rule. We obtain
sin 𝑥 − 𝑥 cos 𝑥 − 1
lim = lim
𝑥→0 𝑥2 𝑥→0 2𝑥

Since the numerator and denominator of this new quotient both approach zero as 𝑥 → 0,
we apply L’Hospital’s rule again. In doing so, we see that

cos 𝑥 − 1 − sin 𝑥
lim = lim =0
𝑥→0 2𝑥 𝑥→0 2

Therefore, we conclude that

sin 𝑥 − 𝑥
lim =𝟎
𝑥→0 𝑥2

MAT 120 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 02

 L'Hospital's Rule (∞/∞ Form)
Example: Evaluate each of the following limits by applying L'Hospital's rule.
3𝑥 + 5 2𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 7
𝐚. lim 𝐛. lim 2
𝑥→∞ 2𝑥 + 1 𝑥→∞ 𝑥 + 47𝑥 + 1

Solution: a. Since 3𝑥 + 5 and 2𝑥 + 1 are first-degree polynomials with positive leading coefficients,
lim 3𝑥 + 5 = ∞ and lim 2𝑥 + 1 = ∞. Therefore, we apply L’Hospital’s rule and obtain
𝑥→∞ 𝑥→∞
3𝑥 + 5 3 𝟑
lim = lim =
𝑥→∞ 2𝑥 + 1 𝑥→∞ 2 𝟐
b. As 𝑥 goes to infinity, both the numerator and denominator go to infinity, so we may apply
L'Hospital's Rule:
2𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 7 4𝑥 − 3
lim 2 = lim
𝑥→∞ 𝑥 + 47𝑥 + 1 𝑥→∞ 2𝑥 + 47

In the second quotient, it is still the case that the numerator and denominator both go to infinity, so
we are allowed to use L'Hospital's Rule again:
4𝑥 − 3 4
lim = lim = 𝟐
𝑥→∞ 2𝑥 + 47 𝑥→∞ 2

MAT 120 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 02

Division of Each Term by Highest Power of Variable (∞/∞ Form)

𝑥 3 +3𝑥+5
Example: Calculate lim 2𝑥 3 −6𝑥+1 .
𝑥→∞
∞
Solution: Substituting 𝑥 → ∞ shows that this is of the form . Divide the numerator and denominator
∞
by 𝑥 3 (the highest degree or power in this expression). Thus, we obtain

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

𝑥 3 + 3𝑥 + 5 𝑥 3 3𝑥 5 3 5 lim 1 +
3
+
5
+ + 1 + + 𝑥 2 𝑥3
= lim 𝑥3 = lim 𝑥 3 𝑥 3 𝑥 3 = lim 𝑥 2 𝑥 3 = 𝑥→∞
𝑥→∞ 2𝑥 3 − 6𝑥 + 1 𝑥→∞ 2𝑥 3 6𝑥 1 𝑥→∞ 6 1 6 1
− + 2 − + lim 2 − +
𝑥3 𝑥3 𝑥3 𝑥3 𝑥 2 𝑥 3 𝑥→∞ 𝑥2 𝑥3

3 5 3 5
lim 1 + lim 2 + lim 3 1 + +∞ 1+0+0 𝟏
𝑥→∞ 𝑥→∞ 𝑥 𝑥→∞ 𝑥 ∞
= = = =
6 1 6 1 2−0−0 𝟐
lim 2 − lim 2 + lim 3 2 − +
𝑥→∞ 𝑥→∞ 𝑥 𝑥→∞ 𝑥 ∞ ∞

MAT 120 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 02

 Next Lecture

➢ Right-Hand and Left-Hand Limits

➢ Continuous and Discontinuous Functions

➢ Continuity of a Function

➢ Continuity Test of Functions

MAT 120 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 02