MTH102-Calculus for Business

Dr. Saadia Khouyibaba

Section 9.2: Limits at Infinity

Limit at infinity meaning:

To study the end behavior of a function 𝑓 we evaluate 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑓 𝑥 and 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑓 𝑥

→ →
This limit can be infinity or a real number.

If 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑓 𝑥 𝑐 𝑐𝜖ℜ then the graph of 𝑓has a horizontal asymptote 𝑦 𝑐.

→

Below is an example of a graph with horizontal asymptote 𝑦 𝑐:

To evaluate Limit at infinity we need the following properties:

If 𝑐 is any constant, then

1. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑐 𝑐 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑐 𝑐

→ →
2. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑚 0 , 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑛 0
→ →
 MTH102-Calculus for Business
Dr. Saadia Khouyibaba

Finding Limits at Infinity Polynomials

Find each of the following limits, if they exist.

1. lim 3𝑥 7𝑥 6
→

2. lim 3𝑥 7𝑥 6
→

3. lim 𝑥 3𝑥 2𝑥 3𝑥
→

4. lim 𝑥 3𝑥 2𝑥 3𝑥
→

Solution:

1. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 3𝑥 7𝑥 6 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 3 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 3 ∞

→ → →

2. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 3𝑥 7𝑥 6 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 3 ∞
→ →

3. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 3𝑥 2𝑥 3𝑥 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 1 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 ∞

→ → →

3 2 3
4. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 3𝑥 2𝑥 3𝑥 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 1 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 1 ∞
→ → 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 →
 MTH102-Calculus for Business
Dr. Saadia Khouyibaba

Rule on Finding Limits at Infinity for a polynomial

If 𝑓 𝑥 𝑎 𝑥 𝑎 𝑥 . . . . . . . 𝑎 then 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑓 𝑥 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑎 𝑥

→ →

Where 𝑎 𝑥 is the leading term of 𝑓 𝑥

More Examples polynomials

Find each of the following limits, if they exist.

1. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 4𝑥 4𝑥 5𝑥
→
2. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 3𝑥 2𝑥 3
→
3. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 5𝑥 𝑥
→

Solution:

1. lim 4𝑥 4𝑥 5𝑥 lim 4𝑥 ∞
→ →
2. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 3𝑥 2𝑥 3 𝑙𝑖𝑚 3𝑥 ∞
→ →
3. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 5𝑥 𝑥 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 ∞
→ →
 MTH102-Calculus for Business
Dr. Saadia Khouyibaba

Finding limits at infinity for Rational Functions

4𝑥3𝑥 6
1. 𝑙𝑖𝑚
→ 𝑥 6𝑥
4𝑥 𝑥 2𝑥 3
2. 𝑙𝑖𝑚
→ 8𝑥 𝑥
𝑥 3𝑥 2𝑥 3𝑥
3. 𝑙𝑖𝑚
→ 4𝑥 6𝑥 3𝑥

𝑓 𝑥 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑓 𝑥
→
Here we use the rule 𝑙𝑖𝑚
→ 𝑔 𝑥 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑔 𝑥
→
Solution:

4𝑥 3𝑥 6 𝑙𝑖𝑚 4𝑥 3𝑥 6 𝐷𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒 4
→
1. 𝑙𝑖𝑚
→ 𝑥 6𝑥 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 6𝑥 𝐷𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒 7
→
𝑙𝑖𝑚 3𝑥4 3
𝑥→∞
𝑙𝑖𝑚 0
𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥7 𝑥→∞ 𝑥3
𝑥→∞

4𝑥 𝑥 2𝑥 3 𝑙𝑖𝑚 4𝑥 𝑥 2𝑥 3 𝐷𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒 9
→
2. 𝑙𝑖𝑚
→ 8𝑥 𝑥 𝑙𝑖𝑚 8𝑥 𝑥 𝐷𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒 5
→
4𝑥9 1 4
𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 ∞
𝑥→ ∞ 8𝑥5 𝑥→ ∞2

𝑥 3𝑥 2𝑥 3𝑥 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 3𝑥 2𝑥 3𝑥 𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒 6
→
3. 𝑙𝑖𝑚
→ 4𝑥 6𝑥 3𝑥 𝑙𝑖𝑚 4𝑥 6𝑥 3𝑥 𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒 6
→
𝑥 1
𝑙𝑖𝑚
→ 3𝑥 3
 MTH102-Calculus for Business
Dr. Saadia Khouyibaba
𝒉 𝒙
Rule on Finding Limits at Infinity for Rational Functions: 𝒇 𝒙
𝒈 𝒙

1. If degree of ℎ degree 𝑔⇒ 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑓 𝑥 ∞

→
2. If degree ℎ degree 𝑔⇒ 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑓 𝑥 0
→

3. If degree ℎ degree 𝑔⇒ 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑓 𝑥

→

More Examples Rational Functions

Find each of the following Limits, if they exist.

4𝑥 4𝑥 5𝑥
1. 𝑙𝑖𝑚
→ 2𝑥 6𝑥
𝑥 3𝑥 2𝑥 3
2. 𝑙𝑖𝑚
→ 8𝑥 3𝑥
𝑥 5𝑥
3. 𝑙𝑖𝑚
→ 𝑥 5𝑥 𝑥

Solution:

4𝑥 4𝑥 5𝑥 4𝑥 2
1. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑙𝑖𝑚
→ 2𝑥 6𝑥 → 6𝑥 3

𝑥 3𝑥 2𝑥 3 3𝑥
2. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑙𝑖𝑚 0
→ 8𝑥 3𝑥 → 3𝑥

𝑥 5𝑥 𝑥
3. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑙𝑖𝑚 ∞
→ 𝑥 5𝑥 𝑥 → 𝑥