L’Hopital’s Rule

Theorem (L’Hopital’s rule). If limx→a f (x) = limx→a g(x) = 0, then

f (x) f 0 (a)
lim = lim 0 ,
x→a g(x) x→a g (a)

provided the derivatives in question exist for all x 6= a and provided the right
hand limit exists.
Some limits can be converted to this form by first taking logarithms, or by
substituting 1/x for x.

Problems
1. Evaluate  
n θ
lim 4 1 − cos( n ) ,
n→∞ 2

Solution. Let x = 2−n . Then the limit becomes

 
θ 1 − cos(θx)
lim 4n 1 − cos( n ) = lim (1)
n→∞ 2 x→0 + x2
θ sin(θx)
= lim+ (L’Hopital’s) (2)
x→0 2x
θ2 cos(θx)
= lim (L’Hopital’s) (3)
x→0+ 2
= θ2 /2. (4)

2. Evaluate the following limits:

(a)  n
1
lim
1+
n→∞ n
Solution. e

(b)  n
n+1
lim
n→∞ n+2
Solution. e

(c)  n
1
lim 1+
n→∞ n2
 Solution. 1

(d)
 n2
1
lim 1 +
n→∞ n
Solution. ∞

3. Evaluate
2pn Pn
lim ,
n→∞ p n + Pn
where pn = (1 + 1/n)n and Pn = (1 + 1/n)n+1 .

Solution. e

4. Evaluate 1/x
1 ax − 1

lim .
x→∞ x a−1
where a > 1.

Solution.
1/x 1/x
1 ax − 1 1 x 1 − a−x
 
lim = lim a
x→∞ x a−1 x→∞ x a−1
 1/x  1/x
1 1 − a−x
= lim a
x→∞ x a−1
 1/x 1/x
1 − a−x

1
= a lim lim
x→∞ x x→∞ a−1
 0
1 1 1
=a lim exp( ln )
a−1 x→∞ x x
− ln x
= a exp( lim )
x→∞ x
= a exp(0) = a.

5. Let f (t) and f 0 (t) be differentiable on [a, x] and for each x suppose there
is a number cx such that a < cx < x and
Z x
f (t)dt = f (cx )(x − a).
a
0
Assume that f (a) 6= 0. Then prove that
cx − a 1
lim = .
x→a x−a 2
 Solution. This is from the MCMC 2006 Session I, problem 5. See their
solution.

6. Calculate Z x
2
−x2
lim x et dt.
x→∞ 0

Solution. Rx 2
x
x et dt
Z
t2 −x2 0
x e dt =
0 ex2
Now the limit is expressed as an indeterminate form ∞∞ , so apply L’Hopital’s
Rule, the product rule, and the fundamental theorem of calculus, to get:
Z x R x t2 2
t2 −x2 0
e dt + xex
lim x e dt = lim
x→∞ 0 x→∞ 2xex2
R x t2
e dt 1
= lim 0 x2 +
x→∞ 2xe 2
x2
e 1
= lim 2 2 + (L’Hopital’s again)
x→∞ 2ex + 4x2 ex 2
1 1
= lim +
x→∞ 2 + 4x2 2
1
=
2

7. Prove that the function y = (x2 )x , y(0) = 1, is continuous at x = 0.

Solution.

lim (x2 )x = lim exp(x ln x2 )

x→0 x→0
ln x2
 
= exp lim −1
x→0 x
 1 
2 2x
= exp lim x −2
x→0 −x
 
= exp lim −2x
x→0
=1

Which shows that y → y(0) as x → 0, so y is continuous at 0.