Limits of Some

Transcendental Functions
Mr. Christopher C. Dacanay
Senior High School
University of Santo Tomas

This material was prepared by the teacher for the exclusive and personal use of those students who are officially enrolled in the section. Some parts of the
presentation were lifted from various print and online resources. Any error that may be found in the material was not intentionally committed by the teacher.
 Lord, true source of light and wisdom
Give me a keen sense of understanding
A retentive memory
And the capacity to grasp things correctly.

Grant me the grace

To be accurate in my expositions
And the skill to express myself
With thoroughness and clarity.

Be with me at the start of my work

Guide its progress
And bring it to completion.

Grant this through Christ, our Lord.

Amen.
Limits of Some Transcendental Functions

Learning Competencies
• compute the limits of exponential and
logarithmic functions using tables of
values and graphs of the functions
 Infinite Limits and Limits at Infinity

Definition
Let 𝑓 𝑥 be a function defined on some interval containing the
number 𝑎 except possibly 𝑎 itself. Then
𝑓 𝑥 increases without bound as x approaches 𝑎, written as
lim 𝑓 𝑥 = +∞
𝑥→𝑎
if the values of 𝑓 get larger and larger as the values 𝑥 become
closer and closer to 𝑎.
 Infinite Limits

Example 1
1
Let 𝑓 𝑥 = 2 .
𝑥
Notice in the graph that as the
values 𝑥 become closer and closer
to 0, the values of
a function 𝑓 𝑥 increases without
bound. Thus,
lim 1
lim
𝑥→0
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 →0 = +∞.
𝑥2
 Infinite Limits

Definition
Let 𝑓 𝑥 be a function defined on some interval containing the
number 𝑎 except possibly 𝑎 itself. Then
𝑓 𝑥 decreases without bound as x approaches 𝑎, written as
lim 𝑓 𝑥 =−∞
𝑥→𝑎

if the values of 𝑓 get smaller and smaller as the values 𝑥

become closer and closer to 𝑎.
 Infinite Limits

Example 2
1
Let 𝑓 𝑥 = − 2 .
𝑥
Notice in the graph that as the values
𝑥 become closer and closer to 0, the
values of
a function 𝑓 𝑥 decreases without
bound. Thus,

lim 1
lim
𝑥→0
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 →0 (- 2 )=−∞.
𝑥
 Infinite Limits

Theorem
Let 𝑟 be any positive integer. Then
1 1
+∞ if 𝑟 is even
i. lim +
𝑥 → 0 𝑥𝑟 = +∞ ii lim
𝑥 → 0− 𝑟 =
𝑥 −∞ if 𝑟 is odd

Example 2
Evaluate the ff. limits.
1 1 1
a. 𝑥lim
→ 0+ 𝑥6
b. 𝑥lim
→ 0− c. 𝑥lim
→ 0−
𝑥8 𝑥 15
 Infinite Limits
Theorem
Let 𝑥lim
→𝑎
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑐 ≠ 0 and 𝑥lim
→𝑎
𝑔 𝑥 = 0 . Then
𝑓(𝑥) + −
i. 𝑥lim
→𝑎 = +∞ if 𝑐 > 0 and 𝑔(𝑥) → 0 or 𝑐 < 0 and 𝑔(𝑥) → 0
𝑔(𝑥)

ii. 𝑥lim
→𝑎
𝑓(𝑥)
= -∞ if 𝑐 > 0 and 𝑔(𝑥) → 0− or 𝑐 < 0 and 𝑔(𝑥) → 0+
𝑔(𝑥)

Example 3
Evaluate the ff. limits.
4𝑥+3 2𝑥−5
a. 𝑥lim
→ 2+
b. lim −
𝑥−2 𝑥→3 𝑥−3
 Infinite Limits
Theorem
1. If lim 𝑓 𝑥 = ±∞ and 𝑥lim
→𝑎
𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑐, then lim 𝑓 𝑥 +𝑔 𝑥 = ±∞.
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎

2. Let lim 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑐 ≠ 0.
𝑥→𝑎

i. lim 𝑓(𝑥) ∙ 𝑔(𝑥) = +∞ if lim 𝑓 𝑥 = +∞ and 𝑐 > 0 or

𝑥→𝑎
𝑥→𝑎
if lim 𝑓 𝑥 = −∞ and 𝑐 < 0
𝑥→𝑎

ii. 𝑥lim
→𝑎
𝑓(𝑥) ∙ 𝑔(𝑥) = -∞ if lim 𝑓 𝑥 = −∞ and 𝑐 > 0 or
𝑥→𝑎
if lim 𝑓 𝑥 = +∞ and 𝑐 < 0
𝑥→𝑎
 Limits at Infinity

Definition
Let 𝑓 𝑥 be a function defined on 1
𝑓 𝑥 =
𝑐, +∞ for some number 𝑐. 𝑥
The limit of 𝑓 as 𝑥 increases
without bound is 𝐿 , written as
lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝐿
𝑥 → +∞

if the values of 𝑓 𝑥 gets closer to a

unique real number 𝐿 as 𝑥 becomes
larger and larger.
 Limits at Infinity

Definition
Let 𝑓 𝑥 be a function defined on 1
𝑓 𝑥 =
−∞, 𝑑 for some number 𝑑. 𝑥

The limit of 𝑓 as 𝑥 decreases

without bound is 𝐿 , written as
lim 𝑓 𝑥 =𝐿
𝑥 → −∞

if the values of 𝑓 𝑥 gets closer to a

unique real number 𝐿 as 𝑥 becomes
smaller and smaller.
 Limits at Infinity
Theorem
Let 𝑟 be any positive integer. Then
1 1
(i) lim =0 and (ii) 𝑥lim
→ −∞ =0
𝑥 → +∞ 𝑟 𝑟
𝑥 𝑥

Example 4
Evaluate the ff. limits.
8 lim 𝑥 2 +2𝑥+3 𝑥
a. lim 3
b. 𝑥 → −∞ 3 c. 𝑥 lim
𝑥 → +∞ 𝑥 𝑥 −5 → +∞ 𝑥 2 +1
Review

function
algebraic transcendental
polynomial exponential logarithmic

rational trigonometric inverse trigonometric

radical hyperbolic inverse hyperbolic

Review
Exponential Functions
Review
Exponential Functions
Review
Exponential Functions
Review
Logarithmic Functions
Review
 Limits of Exponential and Logarithmic Functions

Definition
Let 𝑏 > 0 and 𝑏 ≠ 1. Then
i. lim 𝑏 𝑥 =𝑏 𝑎 ii.𝑥lim
→𝑎
log𝑏 𝑥 = log 𝑏𝑎
𝑥→𝑎

Example 5
Evaluate the ff. limits.

a. lim [5𝑥−1 −ln(𝑥 − 3)] b. lim 𝑒 𝑥−2 − log 2

𝑥4
𝑥→4 𝑥→2
 Closing Prayer

We give You thanks, Almighty God, for all the good things You
have given us today; for wisdom to understand,
for moral courage to avoid wrong and
for brotherly love to act kindly towards others.
O God, we are truly sorry for any thought, word or deed by
which we have offended Your divine goodness or willfully
wronged a neighbor.
Help us to be better in the future.
Amen