Lesson 12

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. 00 ,  0 , 1
.
.
EXAMPLES:
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 :
d
sin 2x
sin 2x  cos 2 x 2  2 cos 2( 0 )  cos 0  1
lim  lim dx  lim
2x d 2( 1 ) 2
2x 
x 0 x 0 x 0

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
d
tany - 3y
tany - 3y  sec 2
y  3( 1 ) sec 0 2
3
lim  lim dx  lim 
y 0 y - sin3y y 0 d y 0 1 - (cos3y)3 1 - 3cos0
y - sin3y 
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
d 1
ln sin2x  ( cos 2 x )2
ln sin2x 
lim  lim dx  lim sin2x

  4 x 2  d  2  4 x ( 4 )
x
4
x
4   4 x 2 x
4
dx
 
2cot2 2cot
2cot2x 4 2 0
 lim    
x
  8   4 x      80  0
4  8  4 
 4
This is still in det er min ate
Thus we repeat LHR
d d2
ln sin2x  ln sin2x 
ln sin2x  dx 2
d x
lim  lim  lim
x

4
  4 x  x
2  d
4   4 x 2 x

4
d2
  4 x 2

dx d 2x
d
2cot2x  
2  csc 2 2x 2   4 csc 2 2x
 lim dx  lim  lim
 d   8(  4 )  32
x
4  8   4 x  x
4
x
4
dx
2
1 1  1 2 1
 lim - csc 2 2 x    csc 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

By LHR

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

dx
 
ex
x   e ( 1 ) e 

Re peat LHR
d2 2
x2
d 2
x   2
x   d
2x 2( 1 ) 2 2
lim x  lim dx  lim d 2x   lim dx  lim x    0
x   e x   d

dx
e x
 
x   d
2
e x
 
x   d x
dx
 
e
x   e ( 1 ) e 
d x

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

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