Mathematics I - Tutorial 3 (Analysis)

Simon Campese
November 11, 2022
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Today’s topic:
Today you will learn how to evaluate limits of almost arbitrary complexity

q p √
√ n
2n4 − n + 2 n − 8 − 3n3
lim r  
n→∞
1 + 4n + (−1)n + sin 2√n!
n−1
π

in a couple of seconds (and give rigorous justification if needed).

essential knowledge (learned in school)

• distributive, commutative and associative laws (in particular factorising)

• binomial formulas
• calculating with fractions (how to simplify, add, subtract, multiply, divide))
• calculating with powers and roots
• calculating with absolute values
• properties of sine and cosine (zeros, periodicity, sign etc. -> unit circle!)
essential knowledge (learned in school)

• distributive, commutative and associative laws (in particular factorising)

OMB+ IA.3
• binomial formulas OMB+ IA.3
• calculating with fractions (how to simplify, add, subtract, multiply, divide))
OMB+ IA.4
• calculating with powers and roots OMB+ IB.1-3,
• calculating with absolute values LA script, ch. 1
• properties of sine and cosine (zeros, periodicity, sign etc. -> unit circle!) LA
script, ch. 1; OMB+ VI.6

OMB+: https://www.ombplus.de (English version requires registration)

if OMB+ does not suffice:

• exercises at https://webwork.mat.tu-harburg.de
• various books in the library (typically also available as free ebooks), search
for “preparatory mathematics”
• office hours
• StudIP forum
growth orders

polynomial exponential factorial

np , p > 0 an , a > 1 n!

n0,1 2n (n + 1)!

√
n 3n (n + 4)!

n2 22n (2n)!

9 n
n10 2 (2n + 1)!
evaluating limits in a couple of seconds

2n5 − 3n3 + 4n 2n5

lim = lim =∞
n→∞ 4n4 + 3n2 − 2 n→∞ 4n4

√ √
n4 − 2n3 + n n4 n2
lim = lim = lim =0
n→∞ n3 + 1 n→∞ n3 n→∞ n3

2n + 1 2n 2n
lim √ = lim √ = lim =1
n→∞ 4n2 − 2n + 3 n→∞ 4n2 n→∞ 2n
evaluating limits in a couple of seconds

p
2n + 3n5 − |sin(4n )| 2n
lim √ = lim =∞
n→∞ n4 + 2n3 − 8 n n→∞ n4

√
2n+1 + n − 8n4 2n+1
lim √ = lim =2
n→∞ 2n + 2 − 8n + 4n4 n→∞ 2n

p √ √ √ 2
2n4 − n2 + 8n + 3n2 2n4 2n
lim = lim = lim =0
n→∞ (1 + 2n )2 n→∞ 2 2n n→∞ 4n
How to write this down properly?

• factor largest growth factor in numerator and denominator, respectively

• take limit summand or factor wise, “push” into powers, roots and absolute
values - as long as it yields a reasonable result (to be detailed in the
following)
 p √
n4 + 2 n − 1
lim =
n→∞ n3 + 2n2 − 1
 p √
n4 + 2 n − 1
lim =
n→∞ n3 + 2n2 − 1

numerator:
q s  
√ 2√
4 4
n +2 n−1= n 1+ 4 n−1
n
v s 
u
u !
2 1
= tn4 1 + 4 n 1 −
n n
s
√ r
2 2 n 1
=n 1+ 4 1−
n n
 r
√ q
p √ n2 1+ 2 n
1 − 1
n4 + 2 n − 1 n4 n
lim = lim
n→∞ n3 + 2n2 − 1 n→∞

numerator:
q s  
√ 2√
4 4
n +2 n−1= n 1+ 4 n−1
n
v s 
u
u !
t 2 1
= n4 1 + 4 n 1 −
n n
s
√ r
2 2 n 1
=n 1+ 4 1−
n n
 r
√ q
p √ n2 1+ 2 n
1 − 1
n4 + 2 n − 1 n4 n
lim = lim
n→∞ n3 + 2n2 − 1 n→∞

denominator:
 
3 2 3 2 1
n + 2n − 1 = n 1+ − 3
n n
 r
√ q
p √ n2 1 + 2 n
1− 1
n4 + 2 n − 1 n4 n
lim = lim

n→∞ n3 + 2n2 − 1 n→∞ n3 1 + n2 − n13
denominator:
 
3 2 3 2 1
n + 2n − 1 = n 1+ − 3
n n
 r  r 
√ q √ q
n2 1+ 2 n
1 − 1   1+ 2 n
1 − 1
n4 n 1  n4 n
lim
= lim  lim 
n→∞ n3 1 + 2
− 1 n→∞ n n→∞ 1+ 2
− 1 
n n3 n n3
p √
1+0· 1−0
=0·
1+0−0
=0
calculating with infinity

rules when evaluating limits:

• constant summands are irrelevant: ∞ + c = ∞, c − ∞ = −∞ etc. (c > 0)

−∞
• constant factors may change sign: c · ∞ = ∞, −c · ∞ = −∞, −c = ∞,
(−c) · ∞ = −∞ etc. (c > 0)
• „squared infinity remains infinity“: ∞ · ∞ = ∞, −∞ · ∞ = −∞,
(−∞) · (−∞) = ∞ etc.
0
• ±∞ =0
∞
• 0 = ∞ without absolute value accumulation points ∞ and/or −∞ possible
• bounded · 0 = 0
calculating with infinity

CAUTION: There are no rules for

∞ 0
∞ − ∞, 0 · ∞, ,
∞ 0
In fact, anything can happen:

∞ 0
∞−∞ 0·∞ ∞ 0

1
1 n
convergent: (n + 1) − n n ·n n
n
1
n

1
1 n2
divergent towards ±∞: n2 − n n · n2 n
n
1
n2
(−1)n
(−1)n (−1)n n
divergent: (n + (−1)n ) − n n ·n n
n
1
n
differences of rational functions

trick: write as a single fraction

 
2n2 n2 2n2 (n − 1) − n2 (2n + 1)
lim − = lim
n→∞ 2n + 1 n−1 n→∞ (2n + 1)(n − 1)
2n − 2n2 − 2n3 + n2
3
= lim
n→∞ 2n2 − n − 1
−n2
= lim
n→∞ 2n2 − n − 1
−n2
= lim 2

n→∞ n 2 − 1 − 12
n n
1
=−
2
   √ √ √
n n2 + 1 n − n2 n + n2 n + n2 + n + 1
lim √ + √ = lim √
√

n→∞ n+1 1−n n n→∞ n+1 1−n n
√
n2 + n + n + 1
= lim √ √
n→∞ −n2 − n n + n + 1
 
n2 1 + n1 + n√1 n + n12
= lim  
n→∞
−n2 1 − √1n + n√1 n − n12
1+0+0+0
= (−1) ·
1−0+0−0
= −1
differences of square roots

trick: third binomial formula

p p 
lim 2 2
n + 9n − n + n
n→∞
√ √  √ √ 
n2 + 9n − n2 + n n2 + 9n + n2 + n
= lim √ √ 
n→∞
n2 + 9n + n2 + n
n2 + 9n − (n2 + n)
= lim √ √
n→∞ n2 + 9n + n2 + n
8n
= lim √ √
n→∞ n + 9n + n2 + n
2
factorising the dominant term:

8n 8n
lim √ √ = lim q
q

n→∞ n2 + 9n + n2 +n n→∞
n2 1 + n9 + n2 1 + n1
8n
= lim q q 
n→∞ 9 1
n 1+ n + 1+ n
8
=√ √
1+0+ 1+0
=4
also works with more complicated expressions:

qp
√
lim 4n + 2n2 − 4n + n
n→∞

First radicand:

√ √  √ √ 
p 4 n 2n 2 − 4 n n 4 n 2n 2 4n n
√ + + + + +
4n + 2n2 − 4n + n = √ √
4n + 2n2 + 4n + n
4n + 2n2 − (4n + n)
=√ √
4n + 2n2 + 4n + n
2n2 + n
=√ √
4n + 2n2 + 4n + n
factorising dominant terms in numerator and denominator yields:


2n2 + n n2 2 + n1
√ √ =r   q
4n + 2n2 + 4n + n n2


4 1 + 2 4n + 4n 1 + 4nn
n

n2 2 + n1
= q q .
n n2 n
2 1 + 2 4n + 1 + 4n
Thus
p √ 
lim 4n + 2n2 − 4n + n
n→∞
1


n2 2 + n
= lim q q 
n→∞ 2
2n 1+ 2 4nn + 1+ n
4n
 
  1
n2  2+ n 
= lim  lim q q 
n→∞ 2n n→∞ 2
1 + 2 4nn + 1 + n
4n
2+0
=0· √ √
1+2·0+ 1+0
= 0,
and therefore
qp r p 
√ √
lim 4n + 2n2 − 4n + n = lim 4n + 2n2 − 4n + n
n→∞ n→∞
√
= 0
= 0.
n-th root

Interplay of n-th root with known growth orders:

√
lim n c = 1 (c > 0),
n→∞
√
n
lim np = 1 (p > 0),
n→∞
√
n
lim an = lim a = a (a > 0),
n→∞ n→∞
√
n
lim n! = ∞
n→∞

general principle (factorising dominant terms) remains in place, but you have to
know how to calculate with roots!
 r √
n
√n
√n
n 3n2 3n2 3 n2 1·1 1
lim n
= lim √ = lim = =
n→∞ 2 n→∞ n
2n n→∞ 2 2 2
s s

2
n 3n + 1 n2 3 + n12
lim = lim n


n→∞ 2n − 1 n→∞ 2n 1 − 21n
r s 1
n n n 3 + n2
2
= lim
n→∞ 2n 1 − 21n
r s
n n
2
n
3 + n12
= lim lim
n→∞ 2n n→∞ 1 − 21n
1
= · 1.
2
 r 1
3+
n n2
Why is limn→∞ 1
1− 2n
= 1?

Theorem
√
For (an )n∈N with an ≥ 0 and limn→∞ an = c > 0 one has limn→∞ n
an = 1.
 q

√
2n +n
2n3 −n+1 2n + n
2n3 1 − 2n1 2 + 1
lim √ = lim √
n→∞ 4n − 2n2 n→∞ 4n − 2n2
√ √ √ !
n n n 1
2 n3 1− +1
2n2
2n 1+ 2n
= lim r  
n→∞
2n2
4n 1 − 4n
√ √ √ !
n n 3 n 1
2 n 1− +1
2n2
2n 1+ 2n
= lim q
n→∞ 2n2
2n 1− 4n
1 + 1·1·1+1
= √ ∞
1−0
=1
limits involving absolute values

The general principle (factorising dominant terms) still applies, but you have to
know how to calculate with absolute values!
 2 
3 − sin n
2
n + cos(n) + n 3 n 2n+1
lim , lim
n→∞ 2n n→∞ 1 − 2n3