QQM1023 Managerial Mathematics

TUTORIAL 5 :Limits of a Function

1. In problem a – b, use your calculator to complete the table, and use your
results to estimate the given limit.
ex 1
a) lim
x 0 x
x -0.1 -0.01 -0.001 0.001 0.01 0.1
f(x)

x2  4
b) lim
h  2 x  2
x -2.1 -2.01 -2.001 -1.999 -1.99 -1.9
f(x)

2. In problem below, use the graph of f to estimate each limits if it exists.

i) a) lim f ( x) b) lim f ( x) c) lim f ( x)
x 1 x 1 x 2

3 f(x)

y =1

x
-1 1 2

ii) a) lim f ( x) b) lim f ( x) c) lim f ( x)

x  1 x 0 x1
y

f(x)
1

-1 1 x
-1

1
iii) a) lim f ( x) b) lim f ( x) c) lim f ( x )
x1 x1 x1

d) lim f ( x) e) lim f ( x) f) lim f ( x)

x   2 x   2 x 2

g) lim f ( x) h) lim f ( x) i) lim f ( x)

x  1 x  1 x 1

j) lim f ( x) k) lim f ( x)
x  x  

f(x)

x
-2 -1 1

3. In problem below, find the limits. If the limit does not exist, so state that.
a) lim 16 b) lim (t 2  5) c) lim p2  p  5
x100 t  5 p 4

x 1 x  2x
2
x 2  9 x  20
d) lim e) lim f) lim
x 1 x  1 x 0 x x 4 x 2  3x  4
t2  4 h 1
g) lim h) lim i) lim ( x  2)
t 2 t  2 h 1 h 4 1 x3
6x 7
j) lim 5 x k) lim l) lim
x  x0 x4 x 2 x x
2x  4 2w  3w  4
2
x2 1
m) lim n) lim o) lim
x 3  2 x 5w 2  7 w  1
w x   x3  4x  3
5t 2  2t  1  1 
p) lim q) lim 1 
t  4t  7 x1  x  1
2 x2
r) lim f ( x) , lim f ( x) , lim f ( x) if f ( x)  
x 2 x 2 x 2 1 x2
s) Refer problem (r), lim f ( x) , lim f ( x)
x x  
4. The maximum theoretical efficiency of a power plant is given by

2
 Th  Tc
E
Th

where Th and Tc are the respective absolute temperatures of the hotter and
colder reservoirs. Find;
a) lim E b) lim E
Tc  0 Tc Th

Answers: Limits of a function

ex 1 x2  4
1. a) lim =1 b) lim =-4
x 0 x h  2 x  2

2. i) a) 1 b) not exist c) 3
ii) a) – 1 b) not exist c) 1
iii) a) 2 b) 3 c) not exist
d)   e)   f) 
g) 1 h) 1 i) 1
j)   k) 0

3. a) 16 b) 20 c) 5
d) 1 e) -2 f) -1/5
g) 4 h) -1/4 i) 1
j) - k) - l) 0
m) -1 n) 2/5 o) 0
p)  q) 
r) lim f ( x)  1 , lim f ( x)  2 , lim f ( x) not exist
x2 x2 x2
s) lim f ( x)  1, lim f ( x)  2
x x  

4. a) 1 b) 0