LIMITS APPROACHING INFINITY (with 10 examples)

TYPES

1) POLYNOMIAL/ CONSTANT
2) RATIONAL
sin x
3) (please see explanation from powerpoint file)
x
4) EXPONENTIAL

POLYNOMIAL/CONSTANT

lim 2 x = 2 (+ ∞ ¿ (well, a number multiplied by a very large number is equal to a very large
(Ex. 1) x→+∞
number), therefore, 2 (+ ∞ ¿=+ ∞ .

lim 2 x = 2 (−∞ ¿=−∞.

(Ex. 2) x→−∞

Another example…
2
(Ex. 3) lim x +2 x +5 = (∞ )2+ 2(∞ )+5
x→ ∞

Imagine this “ (∞ )2”, a very large number multiplied by a very large number. Of course, the answer is a
very large number. Which means the value of “2 ( ∞ ) ” will be no significance.

Therefore, we can rewrite

2 2
(Ex. 3) lim x +2 x +5 = (Ex. 3) lim x = (∞ )2 = ∞
x→ ∞ x→ ∞

How about…

(Ex. 4) lim
x→ ∞
5 (any value of x does not affect the value of the constant 5)

therefore,

(Ex. 4) lim
x→ ∞
5=5

or for another example,

lim 3 = 3
(Ex. 5) x→−∞

RATIONAL
2
4 x + x +1
(Ex. 6) lim 3
x→ ∞ 2 x −5
 1 1 1
With these, some special functions like lim = 0, lim = 0 and lim 2 = 0 would be valid.
x→ ∞ x x→−∞ x x→ ±∞ x

any number any number

With these, please remember that = ∞ and = 0.
0 ∞
any number
= 0 (this is because if we imagine an apple being divided into large number, what will
∞
happen to the apple? Of course the apple will be close to disintegration)

To evaluate (Ex. 6), you may use the common way, that is by dividing all terms by the highest degree of
exponent in this case by x 3. So,

1 1
4 x + x +1 x3
2
x3
(Ex. 6) lim 3
∙ (explanation : = 1)
x→ ∞ 2 x −5 1 1
x3 x3

4 x2 x 1 4 1 1 4 1 1
+ 3+ 3 + 2+ 3 + 2+ 3 4 + 1 + 1
x
3
x x x x x ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ 0+0+0 0
(Ex. 6) lim = = = = = =¿ 0 (ans.)
x→ ∞ 2x 3
5 5 5 5 2−0 2
− 3 2− 3 2− 3 2−
x
3
x x ∞ ∞

Another method:(shortcut)
2 2
4 x + x +1 4x
(Ex. 6) lim 3 = lim 3
x→ ∞ 2 x −5 x→ ∞ 2 x

4
= lim
x→ ∞ 2x
4
=
2(∞ )
4
=
∞
= 0 (ans.)
2 2
2 x −x 2x
(Ex. 7) lim 2 = lim 2
x→ ∞ 8 x +3 x x→ ∞ 8 x
2
= lim
x→ ∞ 8
2 1
= = (ans.)
8 4

2 2
3 x −2 x 3x
(Ex. 8) lim = lim
x→ ∞ x +5 x→ ∞ x
 = lim
x→ ∞
3x

= 3(∞)

¿ ∞ (ans.)

sinx
lim =0
x→ ∞ x

sin 3 x sin 3 x 3
(Ex. 9) lim = lim ∙
x→ ∞ x x→ ∞ x 3
sin 3 x 3
= lim ∙
x→ ∞ 3x 1
3
=0 ∙
1
= 0 (ans.)

EXPONENTIAL

−2 x 1
(Ex. 10) lim e = lim 2x
∙
x→ ∞ x→ ∞ e
1
= 2∞
e
1
= ∞ (imagine a number raised to a very large number)
e
1
=
∞
= 0 (ans.)

Exercise No.2

Evaluate each of the following:

3 2
6 x + 4 x +5
(1) lim 3
x→ ∞ 8 x +7 x−3

4 x +5
(2) lim 2
x→ ∞ x +1
 8 x−5
(3) lim
x→ ∞ √ 4 x 2 +3

Ans. 1)3/4 2)0 3)4

Prepared by. Engr. ERWIN B. MIANO