Solutions to Practice Problems

Exercise 9.6
Using the δ definition of limit, show that

lim (2x2 + x + 1) = 2.
x→−1

Solution.
Let  > 0 be given. Note first that |2x2 + x + 1 − 2| = |(2x − 1)(x + 1)| =
|2x − 1||x + 1| ≤ (2|x| + 1)|x + 1|. If 0 < |x + 1| < 1 then |x| − 1 < 1 and
this implies |x| < 2. So choose δ = min{1, 5 }. Clearly, δ ≤ 1 and δ ≤ 5 . So if
0 < |x+1| < δ we have |2x2 +x+1−2| ≤ (2|x|+1)|x+1| < 5|x+1| ≤ 5· 5 = 

Exercise 9.7
x
Prove directly from the definition that limx→1 x+3
= 14 .

Solution.
First note that  
 x 1  3 |x − 1|
 −
 x + 3 4  = 4 |x + 3| .


If |x − 1| < 1 then 0 < x < 2. Thus, |x + 3| = x + 3 > 3. Let  > 0 be given.

x |x−1|
Choose δ = min{1, 4}. Then if 0 < |x − 1| < δ we have  x+3 − 14  = 34 |x+3| <
3 |x−1| |x−1| 4
4 3
= 4
< 4
=

Exercise 9.8
In this exercise we discuss the concept of sided limits.
(a) We say that L is the left side limit of f as x approaches a from the left
if and only if

∀ > 0, ∃δ > 0 such that 0 < a − x < δ ⇒ |f (x) − L| < 

and we write limx→a− f (x) = L. Show that limx→0− |x|

x
= −1.
(b) We say that L is the right side limit of f as x approaches a from the
right if and only if

∀ > 0, ∃δ > 0 such that 0 < x − a < δ ⇒ |f (x) − L| < 

|x|
and we write limx→a+ f (x) = L. Show that limx→0+ x
= 1.

1
Solution.
 Let  > 0 be given. For any δ > 0, if 0 < −x < δ then x < 0 and
(a)
 |x|
 x + 1 = | − 1 + 1| = 0 < .

 
 |x|
(b) Let  > 0 be given. For any δ > 0, if 0 < x < δ  x − 1 = |1−1| = 0 < 


Exercise 9.9
Prove that L = limx→a f (x) if and only if limx→a− f (x) = limx→a+ f (x) = L.

Solution. Suppose first that limx→a f (x) = L. Let  > 0 be given. Then
there is δ > 0 such that 0 < |x − a| < δ ⇒ |f (x) − L| < . Suppose that
0 < a − x < δ. Then 0 < a − x = |x − a| < δ ⇒ |f (x) − L| < . This shows
that L = limx→a− f (x). Likewise, one can show that L = limx→a+ f (x).
Conversely, suppose limx→a− f (x) = limx→a+ f (x) = L. Let  > 0 be given.
Then there exist δ1 > 0 and δ2 > 0 such that 0 < a − x < δ1 ⇒ |f (x) − L| < 
and 0 < x − a < δ2 ⇒ |f (x) − L| < . Let δ = min{δ1 , δ2 }. Suppose
0 < |x − a| < δ. Since |x − a| = ±(x − a) we must have |f (x) − L| < . This
shows that limx→a f (x) = L

Exercise 9.10
f (c+h)−f (c)
Let f : (a, b) → R and c ∈ (a, b). Suppose that limh→0 h
= L. Show
that
f (c + h) − f (c − h)
lim = L.
h→0 2h
Solution.
We have
 
f (c + h) − f (c − h) 1 f (c + h) − f (c) 1 f (c − h) − f (c)
lim = lim −
h→0 2h h→0 2 h 2 h
1 f (c + h) − f (c) 1 f (c − h) − f (c)
= lim + lim
2 h→0 h 2 h→0 −h
1 f (c + h) − f (c) 1 f (c + h0 ) − f (c)
= lim + lim
2 h→0 h 2 h0 →0 h0
L L
= + =L
2 2
Exercise 9.11
1


Use Definition 9.1 to show that limx→0 x cos x
= 0.

2
Solution.  1


Let  > 0
be given. Choose δ = . For 0 < |x| < δ we have x cos x
=
|x| cos x1  ≤ |x| < δ = 

Exercise 9.12
x3 −x2 +x−1
Use Definition 9.1 to show that limx→0 x−1
= 2.

Solution.
First note that
 3
 x − x2 + x − 1
  2 
  (x + 1)(x − 1) 
 − 2= − 2 = |x2 − 1| = |x − 1||x + 1|.
 x−1   x−1 

If 0 < |x − 1| < 1 then |x| − 1 < 1 or |x| < 2. Let δ = min{1, 3 }. For
0 < |x − 1| < δ we have |x − 1||x + 1| ≤ (|x| + 1)(|x − 1|) < 3|x − 1|. Hence,
 3
 x − x2 + x − 1

 < 3|x − 1| < 3  = 

 − 2
 x−1  3

Exercise 9.13 (Limit at Infinity)

We say that limx→∞ f (x) = A if and only if for every  > 0 there is M > 0
such that if x > M then |f (x) − A| < . Show that limx→0 f (x) = A if and
only if limx→∞ f ( x1 ) = A.

Solution.
Suppose first that limx→0 f (x) = A. Let  > 0 be given. Then there is δ > 0
such that if 0 < x < δ then |f (x) − A| < . Let M = 1δ . Then for x > M we
have 0 < x1 < δ which implies that |f ( x1 ) − A| < . Hence, limx→∞ f ( x1 ) = A.
Now, suppose that limx→∞ f ( x1 ) = A. Let  > 0 be given. Then there is
M > 0 such that if x > M then |f ( x1 ) − A| < . Let δ = M1 . If 0 < x < δ
then x1 > M so that |f (x) − A| < . This shows that limx→0 f (x) = A