Theorem: (Squeeze Theorem)

Let A  , f ,g,h :A → and let c  be a cluster point of A . If

f (x )  g (x )  h (x ) for all x  A and x  c .

and if lim f (x ) = lim h (x ) = L , then lim g (x ) = L .

x →c x →c x →c

Proof:

Since lim f (x ) = L and lim h (x ) = L , then for all   0 there exists 1  0 such that
x →c x →c

0 | x − c | 1  | f (x ) − L |   L −   f (x )  L +  ,

and there exists  2  0 such that

0 | x − c |  2  | h (x ) − L |   L −   h (x )  L +  .

Suppose that  = min 1 ,  2  . Then 0 | x − c |  . Since f (x )  g (x )  h (x ) for all x  A and

x  c , then for 0 | x − c | 

L −  f (x )  g (x )  h (x )  L +  .

Then 0 | x − c |   L −  g (x )  L +   | g (x ) − L |  . That is then lim g (x ) = L .

x →c

Example:

1
Prove lim x sin   = 0 .
x →0 x 

Proof:

1
Let f (x ) = x sin   , x  0 . Since −1  sin z  1 for all z  , we have the following inequality
x 

1
− | x | f (x ) = x sin   | x | for all x  , x 0.
x 

Since lim x = 0 , then from Sqeeze Theorem lim f (x ) = 0 .

x →0 x →0

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One Sided Limits:

Definition:

Let A  and let f : A → .

(1) If c  is a cluster point of the set A (c , ) = x  A : x  c  , then we say that L  is a

right-hand limit of f at c and we write lim f (x ) = L , if given any   0 there exists
+
x →c
 =  ( )  0 such that for all x  A with 0  x − c   , then | f (x ) − L |  .
(2) If c  is a cluster point of the set A (−, c ) = x  A : x  c  , then we say that L  is
a left-hand limit of f at c , and we write lim f (x ) = L , if given any   0 there exists
−
x →c
 =  ( )  0 such that for all x  A with 0  c − x   , then | f (x ) − L |  .

Notes:

(1) The limits lim f and lim f are called one-sided limits of f at c . It is possible that
+ −
x →c x →c
neither one-sided limit may exists. Also, one of them may exist without the other existing.
(2) If A is an interval with left endpoint c , then the function f : A → has a limit at c if and
only if it has a right-hand limit at c . Moreover, in this case the limit lim f and the right-
x →c
hand limit lim f are equal.
x →c +
(3) If A is an interval with right endpoint c , then the function f : A → has a limit at c if and
only if it has a left-hand limit at c . Moreover, in this case the limit lim f and the left-hand
x →c
limit lim f are equal.
x →c −

Theorem:

Let f : A → and let c be a cluster point of A (c , ) . Then the following are equivalent.

(i) lim f (x ) = L .
x →c +

(ii) For every sequence x n  in A that convergent to c such that x n  c for all n  , the
sequence  f (x n ) converges to L .

Theorem:

Let A  and let f : A → and let c  be a cluster point of the both sets A (c , ) and
A (−, c ) . Then lim f (x ) = L if and only if lim f (x ) = lim f (x ) = L .
x →c x →c + x →c −

Example:

Find the limit of the following function at 0 :

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 (1) f (x ) = e 1/ x , x  0 .
1
(2) f (x ) = , x 0 .
1 + e 1/ x

Solution:

(1) Since
0  t  e t for all t  0 , (1)
1
then if x  0 , we have 0   e 1/ x .
x
1
If we take x n = , then f (x n )  n for all n  . Then x n → 0 , x n  0 , but f ( x n ) is not
n
convergent. Thus lim f (x ) does not exist.
x →0+
1 1
If x  0 , and we take t = − in inequality (1) 0  −  e −1/ x . Since x  0 , then
x x
0  e 1/ x  − x for all x  0 . Then from Sqeeze Theorem lim e 1/ x = 0 .
x →0−
1
(2) Since 0   e 1/ x for all x  0 whence
x
1 1
0  1/ x  x , for all x  0 .
1+ e 1/ x
e
Then lim f (x ) = 0 .
x →0+
1 1 1
Since lim e 1/ x = 0 (from (1)), then lim− = = =1.
x →0− x →0 1+ e 1/ x
1 + lim e 1/ x 1+ 0
x →0 −

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