The Limit of a Function

Two Important mathematicians in

the development of calculus

ISAAC NEWTON
GOTTFRIED WILHELM VON LEIBNIZ
Developed the concept known as limits Introduced the method called infinitesimals
Limits
• Backbone of calculus.
• Calculus is the Mathematics of Change.
In an art gallery, where is your limiting position?
In a swimming competition, where is your limiting
position?
What are your limits in your relationship with
your gf/bf?
Do you limit your
DREAMS?
 The limits of a function
The concept of limits of a function links the gap
between the mathematics of calculus and the
mathematics of algebra and geometry.
Basically, the limit of a function describes how a
function behaves as the independent variable gets
closer to a certain number.
 The limits of a function
If we let the values of the independent variable approach a
certain fixed number, the basic questions asked are:

What happens to the values of the function?

Will they approach a fixed number?
 The limits of a function

C . Consider a constant c which the variable x will approach (c

may or may not be in the domain of f). The limit, to be denoted
by L, is the unique real value that f(x) will approach as x
approaches c. In symbols, we write this process as
=L

This is read as “The limit of as approaches is equal to .”

Looking at a table of values
1. Find the
1. Find the

x f(x) x f(x)
1 4 3 10
1.5 5.5 2.1 7.3
1.99 6.97 2.009 7.027
1.999 6.9997 2.0009 7.00027

Values of x from the left Values of x from the right

Note
• If x approaches c from the left, or through values
less than c, then we write .
• If x approaches c from the right, or through values
greater than c, then we write .
• Furthermore, we say if and only if
= L and = L
Find the limit of the following using
table of values
d the
2. Investigate
3. Give the
4. Investigate through a table of values
Looking at the Graph of y = f(x)
Looking at the Graph of y = f(x)