Lesson 13

Indeterminate Forms
OBJECTIVES:

• to define, determine, enumerate the

different indeterminate forms of
functions;
• to apply the theorems on differentiation
in evaluating limits of indeterminate
forms of functions using L’Hopital’s Rule.
 .

Re call :
x2  4x  3
Evaluate the lim it of lim
x 1 x 1

x 2  4 x  3 ( 1 ) 2  4( 1 )  3 0
lim  
x 1 x 1 11 0
the limit is an indetermin ate form, and for the linit to exist, we factor the numerator as follows :

lim
x2  4x  3
 lim
 x - 1 x  3 
 lim x - 3   1  3  2
x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1

x2  4x  3
thus , lim  2
x 1 x 1
 .

sin 2x
Let us consider evaluating the lim
x 0 2x
sin 2x sin 2( 0 ) sin( 0 ) 0
lim   
x 0 2x 2( 0 ) 0 0
Obviously, the principle applied in the previous problems can no
longer be applied to the second example.
To evaluate the said limit Theorems on L' Hopital' s Rule is will be used.
. Kinds of indetermin ate forms :
A. Primary Forms :
0
1. and
0

2.

B. Secondary Forms :
3. 0  
4.  -  and

5. 0 ,  , 1
0 0
.
.
EXAMPLE
S:
Evaluate the following limits
sin 2x
1. lim
x0 2x
sin 2x sin 2(0) sin(0) 0
lim   
x 0 2x 2(0) 0 0
By u sin g L' Hopital' s Rule :

sin 2x
d
sin 2x  cos 2 x 2  2 cos 2( 0 )  cos 0  1
lim  lim dx  lim
d
2x 
x 0 2x x 0 x 0 2( 1 ) 2
dx
sin 2x
 lim 1
x 0 2x
 tany - 3y
. 2. lim
y0 y - sin3y
tany - 3y tan(0) - 3(0) 0  0 0
lim   
y 0 y - sin3y (0) - sin3(0) 0  0 0

By LHR

tany - 3y
d
tany - 3y  sec 2 y  3( 1 ) sec 0   3
2
lim  lim dx  lim 
 y - sin3y 
y 0 y - sin3y y 0 d y 0 1 - (cos3y)3 1 - 3cos0
dx
1 3  2
  1
1 3  2
tany - 3y
 lim 1
y 0 y - sin3y
 ln sin2x 
3. lim.
x

4
  4 x 2
   
ln  sin2  ln  sin 
ln  sin2x   4  2 0
lim   
 
 2 2
x   4x    0 0
  4 4 
4
 

By LHR

ln sin2x 
d 1
ln sin2x 
( cos 2 x )2
lim  lim dx  lim sin2x

   2   2  4 x ( 4 )
x
4
4 x x
4
d
  4 x  2 x
4
dx
 
2cot2 2cot
2cot2x 4 2 0
 lim    
  8   4 x     80 
x
4  8   4  0
 4
This is still in det er min ate
Thus we repeat LHR
d2
ln sin2x  ln sin2x 
d
ln sin2x  dx d2x
lim  lim  lim
x

4
  4 x 2
x
 d
4   4x 2 x

4
d2
  4 x 2

dx d2x
d
2cot2x 
2  csc 2 2x 2   4 csc 2 2x
 lim dx  lim  lim
 
 8  4x  x  4
 d  8( 4 )  32
x x
4 4
dx


2
1
 lim - csc 2 2 x    csc 2    1  
1 1 2 1
x
 8 8 4 8 8
4

ln sin2x  1
 lim 
x

4
  4 x 2 8
 . x2
4. lim x
x  e

lim
x2

 2


x   ex e  
By LHR

2
x
d 2
dx
 
x
2x 2    
lim x  lim  lim x   
x   e x   d x
dx
 
e
x  e ( 1 ) e 

Re peat LHR

x 2
dx
 
d 2
x
d2 2
d2x
 
x d
2x 2( 1 ) 2 2
lim  lim  lim   lim dx  lim x    0
x   e x
      
2 d x
x   d x x   d x
x  
e
x   e ( 1 ) e
e e
dx d2x dx

x2
lim 0
x   e x
 ln cos 3x
5. lim .
 ln tan 3x
x
6

  Note :
2  ln 0  - 
ln cos 3 ln cos
ln 1  0
ln cos 3x 6 
lim 
x
 ln tan 3x   ln   
ln tan 3 ln tan
ln    
6
6 2
Apply LHR
ln 0  
ln cos 3x
d
ln cos 3x 
1
 sin 3 x 3
lim  lim dx  lim cos3x
ln tan 3x x 6 1 sec 2 3 x 3
 ln tan 3x  d 
x x
6 6
dx tan 3 x
sin2 3x
-3tan3x  tan2 3x  cos2 3x
 lim  lim      lim
  1   2
1
sec 2 3x x 6  
x sec 3x x
6 3  6
 tan3x  cos2 3x ln cos 3x
Therefore lim  1
2  ln tan 3x
  x
 sin3x 
2
 lim    sin3   1
6

x

6
 6