Lecture 3

by
CHAPTER 2
Limits and
Continuity
 Lecture 3
LIMITS AND THEIR PROPERTIES
 Aims and Objectives:
(1) UNDERSTAND THE NOTION OF
LIMITS AND THEIR PROPERTIES.
(2) USE THE CONCEPTS OF RIGHT LIMIT
AND LEFT LIMITS.
(3) HAVE A STRONG INTUITIVE FEELING
FOR THESE IMPORTANT CONCEPTS.
 • LIMITS
In order to find the area of any polygon by dividing it into triangles as in
the Figure and adding the areas of these triangles.

To find the area of a curved figure, let An be the area of the inscribed polygon with n sides. As
n increases, it appears that An becomes closer and closer to the area of the circle.

We say that the area of the circle is the limit of the areas of the inscribed polygons, and we

write 𝑨 = lim 𝑨𝒏
𝒏→#
lim(n - gon) = circle
n ®¥
 Understanding the Meaning of Limits:

Limits are used to describe how a function f(x) behaves as the independent variable "x"
moves toward a certain value "a" .
Suppose that f(x) becomes arbitrarily close to the number "L" as x approaches "a". We
then say that the limit of f(x) as x approaches to "a" is "L", and we write
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝑳.
𝒙→𝒂

Definition of Limits:
Let f(x) be a function defined on an interval that contains x=a, except possibly at x=a.
Then we say that,
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝑳
𝒙→𝒂
if for every number ε>0 there is some number δ>0
such that |f(x)−L|<ε whenever 0<|x−a|<δ.
EXAMPLE:

Find 𝒍𝒊𝒎(𝒙𝟐 −𝟒𝒙 + 𝟓)

𝒙→𝟓

SOLUTION:
In this example we find L = 10. It mean f(x) = (x2 - 4x + 5) that can be made arbitrarily close to
10 by requiring x to be close to 5, that is

|(X2 - 4X + 5) -10| < 𝜺 AS 0 < |X - 5| < 𝜹

where 𝜺 and 𝜹 are any two arbitrarily values.
EXAMPLE
Prove that
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟓 = 𝟕
𝒙⟶𝟔
Proof:

Let ∀ 𝜺 > 𝟎, ∃ 𝜹 𝜺 > 𝟎 ∶

𝒇 𝒙 − 𝑳 < 𝜺, ⟹ 𝒙 − 𝒂 < 𝜹,

𝟐𝒙 − 𝟓 − 𝟕 < 𝜺, ∴ 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟏𝟐 < 𝜺,
𝜺
∴ 𝟐 𝒙 − 𝟔 < 𝜺, ∴ 𝒙 − 𝟔 < = 𝜹,
𝟐
𝜺
∴ 𝒙 − 𝟔 < 𝜹, 𝜹= , 𝒂=𝟔
𝟐
 EXAMPLE
Prove that lim ( 5 - 2x ) = 3
x ®1

Proof:

Let ∀ 𝜀 > 0, ∃ 𝛿 𝜀 > 0 ∶

𝑓 𝑥 − 𝐿 < 𝜀, ⟹ 𝑥 − 𝑎 < 𝛿,
f ( x) - L < e
(5 - 2x ) - 3 < e
5 - 2x - 3 < e
2 - 2x < e
2x - 2 < e
e 𝜀
x -1 < , 𝛿= , 𝑎=1
2 2
Limits Laws :
If f and g are two functions have the limit a, and c is a constant then:
1) 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒄 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒄 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙
𝒙⟶𝒂 𝒙⟶𝒂
2) 𝒍𝒊𝒎 ( 𝒇 𝒙 ± 𝒈(𝒙)) = 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 ± 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒈 𝒙
𝒙⟶𝒂 𝒙⟶𝒂 𝒙⟶𝒂
3) 𝒍𝒊𝒎 ( 𝒇 𝒙 𝒈(𝒙)) = 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒈 𝒙
𝒙⟶𝒂 𝒙⟶𝒂 𝒙⟶𝒂
𝒇 𝒙 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙
4) 𝒍𝒊𝒎 = 𝒙⟶𝒂
𝒙⟶𝒂 𝒈(𝒙) 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒈 𝒙
𝒙⟶𝒂
5) 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒄 = 𝒄 , 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒙 = 𝒂
𝒙⟶𝒂 𝒙⟶𝒂
𝒏
𝒏
6) 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 ,𝒏 ∈ ℕ
𝒙⟶𝒂 𝒙⟶𝒂

7) 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒏 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒏
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 , 𝒏 ∈ ℕ
𝒙⟶𝒂 𝒙⟶𝒂

8) 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙
𝒙⟶𝒂 𝒙⟶𝒂
𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒙
9) 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒙 =𝟏
𝒙⟶𝟎
10)If f is a polynomial or rational function and a is in the domain of f, then
𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒇(𝒂)
𝒙⟶𝒂
 HOW DO YOU FIND (EVALUATE) A LIMIT?

• KEY POINT: Evaluate means you should give a numerical answer.

• TECHNIQUES FOR EVALUATING LIMITS

1) Direct Substitution
2) Factoring ( Dividing Out )
3) Conjugate Method (Rationalizing)
 DIRECT SUBSTITUTION

EXAMPLE: Find lim x + 2 x - 3

2
x ®2

SOLUTION: lim x 2 + 2 x - 3 = (2) 2 + 2(2) - 3

x ®2
= 4+ 4-3
=5
WHEN WILL DIRECT SUBSTITUTION NOT WORK?

• Substitution will not work if it produces zero in the denominator of a fraction.

• In this case, try factoring or the conjugate method.
 DIRECT SUBSTITUTION AND PROPERTIES OF LIMITS
a. lim x 2 Direct Substitution
x®4

b. lim 5 x Scalar Multiple Property

x®4

tan x
c. lim Quotient Property
x ®p x

d. lim x Direct Substitution

x ®9
 DIRECT SUBSTITUTION AND PROPERTIES OF LIMITS

e. lim( x cos x)
x ®p

Product Property

f. lim( x + 4) 2
x ®3

Sum and Power Properties

 FACTORING

EXAMPLE: Find x + x-6

2
lim
x®-3 x+3
SOLUTION: Begin by factoring the numerator and dividing out any common factors.

( x + 3)( x - 2) Factor numerator.

= lim Divide out common factor.
x®-3 x+3

= lim x - 2 Simplify.
x®-3

= (-3) - 2 Direct substitution

= -5 Simplify.
 FACTORING
x3 - 1
EXAMPLE: Find lim
x®1 x - 1

SOLUTION: x3 - 1 ( x - 1)( x 2 + x + 1)
lim = lim
x®1 x - 1 x®1 x -1

= lim x 2 + x + 1
x®1

= (1) + (1) + 1
2

Re member :
=3
a 3 - b3 = ( a - b ) ( a 2 + ab + b 2 )
a 3 + b3 = ( a + b ) ( a 2 - ab + b 2 )
 WHAT IS A CONJUGATE?

• The first terms are the same and the second terms are opposites.

expression: x -4

its conjugate: x +4

We have known that rationalizing the numerator means multiplying the

numerator and denominator by the conjugate of the numerator.
 CONJUGATE METHOD

EXAMPLE: Find

SOLUTION:

• By direct substitution, you obtain the indeterminate form .

Indeterminate form
 CONJUGATE METHOD

• In this case, you can rewrite the fraction by rationalizing the numerator.

Multiply.

Simplify.
 Divide out common factor.

,X≠0 Simplify.

• Now you can evaluate the limit by direct substitution.

 CONJUGATE METHOD
7+ x - 7
EXAMPLE: Find lim
x®0 x
7+ x - 7 7+0 - 7 0
SOLUTION: lim = =
x®0 x 0 0

7+ x - 7 7+ x + 7
lim × =
x®0 x 7+ x + 7
7+ x-7 x
= lim = lim
x®0
x ( 7+ x + 7 ) x®0
x ( 7+ x + 7 )
1 1 1
= lim = =
x®0 7+ x + 7 7+ 7 2 7
EXAMPLE: Discuss the existence of the limits of the following function
f(x) at x approaches 5, where

SOLUTION:
Since 𝑳𝟏 = 𝒍𝒊𝒎! 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟏𝟓 and 𝑳𝟐 = 𝒍𝒊𝒎" 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟐𝟎
𝒙→𝟓 𝒙→𝟓
then, L1 ≠ L2 so the limit does not exist.

EXAMPLE: Discuss the existence of the limits of the following function

f(x) at x approaches 1, where

SOLUTION:
Since 𝑳𝟏 = 𝒍𝒊𝒎! 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟐 and 𝑳𝟐 = 𝒍𝒊𝒎" 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟐
𝒙→𝟏 𝒙→𝟏
then, L1 = L2 the limit exists and equal 1 i.e. L=2.
EXAMPLE:
Discuss the existence of the limits of the following function f(x) at x approaches
the 1 and 2 , where

SOLUTION:

First the limit of f(x) as x tends to 1: 𝒍𝒊𝒎! 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟏

𝒙→𝟏 𝒙→𝟏" 𝒙→𝟏
There exists a limit as x approaches 1.

Second the limit of f(x) as x tends to 2: 𝒍𝒊𝒎! 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟏 ≠ 𝒍𝒊𝒎" 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟑

𝒙→𝟐 𝒙→𝟐
The limit doesn't exists as x approaches 2.
As x approaches to “a” becomes more and more positive or negative, then the
limit of the function f(x) fails to exist.
 IMPORTANT IDEAS ABOUT LIMITS
1) If a function approaches the SAME value from both the LEFT and RIGHT sides, then
that value is the LIMIT of the function at that point.

If a function approaches DIFFERENT values, then the limit DOES NOT EXIST (DNE).

2) The value of a function at a specific x has no bearing on the existence or nonexistence of

the limit of the function.

2) 3) rather than saying that a limit equals INFINITY we should say that the limit DOES
NOT EXIST (DNE), because a limit should be a REAL number.