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Module 2 Theorems of Limits

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14 views6 pages

Module 2 Theorems of Limits

Uploaded by

Meryl Rodriguez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Theorems on Limits:

To evaluate the limit of a function or to find

lim f(x)
x a

means that we are to find the number L that f(x) is near, whenever x is near a but not equal
to a. Of course, when x = a, the value of the function is f(a). It may be that f(a) is also the limit, i.e. L=
f(a). Thus, to evaluate

lim (4 – x2)
x 1

means to find a number which 4 – x2 is near whenever x is near the number 1. By definition
1.1, we know that

limit (4 - x2) = 3
x 1

Since by choosing x sufficiently close to 1, 4- x2 can be made to come as close to 3 as we


please.

To obtain limits, we use the ff. theorems:

1. lim c = c where c is any constant


x a

2. lim x = a a = any real number


x a

3. lim c f(x) = c lim f(x)


x a x a

4. lim [f(x) + g(x)] = lim f(x) + lim g(x)


x a x a x a

5. lim [f(x) · g(x)] = lim f(x) · lim g(x)


x a x a x a

𝑓(𝑥) lim f(x)


6. lim = ____________
x a
𝑔(𝑥)
x a lim g(x)
x a

7. lim 𝑛√𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑛√lim⁡𝑓(𝑥) ; n = any positive integer and f(x) > 0 if n is even.
x a x a

8. lim [f(x)]n = [lim f(x)]n


x a x a
Examples lim 3x lim 4
x2

3 lim x by L3, L8, L1

Sometimes, the limits of the functions can be obtained by straight substitution.


Check your Progress/Exercise:
Evaluate each of the following:

Indeterminate forms
Consider the function defined by

𝑁(𝑥)
f(x) = ; D(x) ≠ 0
𝐷(𝑥)

suppose at x = a, N(a) = D(a) = 0

𝑁(𝑎) 0
f(a) = =
𝐷(𝑎) 0


which is undefined. It assumes an indeterminate form like . Obtaining any of these forms

by straight substitution does not necessarily mean that f(x) has no limit. With the indeterminate
form at x = a, the limit of f(x) may be definite, i.e., the limit exists. This limit is usually found by
changing the expression defined by f(x) into a form to which the theorems on limits can be used.
Consider the following examples.

Ex:
The example above illustrates the fact that f(x) may have a limit at a number a even though
the value f(a) of the function is undefined. Moreover, it shows that the limit and value of the
function are two different concepts.

Check your Progress/Exercise:

Infinity

Let f(x) be a function. If we can make f(x) as large as we please by making x close enough,
but not equal, to a real number a, then we describe this situation by writing.

lim f(x) = ∞
X a

Consider the function f(x) = 1/x. As shown in the table, as x takes on values successively
approaching 0, the value 1/x grows larger and larger. So that,

lim 1/x = ∞
X 0
Limit at Infinity
A function f(x) may have a finite limit even when the independent variable x becomes
infinite. This statement “x becomes infinite” is customarily expressed in symbolism by “ x  ∞ “.
Consider again the function f(x) = 1/x. It can be shown (intuitively or formally) that 1/x
approaches a finite limit (the number 0) as x increases without bound. That is,

1/x  0 as x ∞

We shall consider this fact as an additional theorem on limits by writing,

L9 Lim (1/x) = 0
x ∞
Example:

From the examples above, if n is any positive number then

Lim (1/xn) = 0
x ∞

𝑁(𝑥)
A function f(x) = may assume the indeterminate form when x is replaced by ∞.
𝐷(𝑥)
However, the limit of f(x) as x becomes infinite may be definite. To find this limit we first divide
N(x) and D(x) by the highest power of x. Then we evaluate the limit by use of L9.

Ex:

Check your Progress/Exercise:


Continuity

When lim f(x) = f(a), the function is said to be continuous at x = a.


x a

A function f(x) is said to be continuous in an interval if it is continuous for every value of x in


the interval. The graph of this function is unbroken over that interval. That is, the graph of f(x) can
be drawn without lifting the pencil from the paper.

Ex: The function f(x) = x2 is continuous at x = 2 because lim x2 = f(2) = 4. In fact it is


continuous for all finite values of x. The graph of the function is shown below.

Ex: The function f(x) = 1/x is continuous at x = 3 because lim 1/x = f(3) = 1/3. It is however,
x 3
discontinuous at x = 0 since lim 1/x = ∞. The graph of the function contains a break at x = 0.
X0

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