limits 2. 2.2 the limit of a function limits in this section, we will learn: about limits in general...
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LIMITSLIMITS
2
2.2The Limit of a Function
LIMITS
In this section, we will learn:
About limits in general and about numerical
and graphical methods for computing them.
Let’s investigate the behavior of the
function f defined by f(x) = x2 – x + 2
for values of x near 2. The following table gives values of f(x) for values of x
close to 2, but not equal to 2.
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION
p. 66
From the table and the
graph of f (a parabola)
shown in the figure,
we see that, when x is
close to 2 (on either
side of 2), f(x) is close
to 4.
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION
Figure 2.2.1, p. 66
We express this by saying “the limit of
the function f(x) = x2 – x + 2 as x
approaches 2 is equal to 4.” The notation for this is:
2
2lim 2 4x
x x
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION
In general, we use the following
notation. We write
and say “the limit of f(x), as x approaches a, equals L”
if we can make the values of f(x) arbitrarily close to L (as close to L as we like) by taking x to be sufficiently close to a (on either side of a) but not equal to a.
limx a
f x L
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Definition 1
An alternative notation for
is as
which is usually read “f(x) approaches L as
x approaches a.”
limx a
f x L
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION
( )f x L x a
Notice the phrase “but x a” in the
definition of limit.
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION
21
1lim
1x
x
x
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Example 1
lim ( )x a
f x
Guess the value of .
Notice that the function f(x) = (x – 1)/(x2 – 1) is not defined when x = 1.
However, that doesn’t matter—because the definition of says that we consider values of x that are close to a but not equal to a.
The tables give values
of f(x) for values of x that
approach 1 (but are not
equal to 1). On the basis of the values,
we make the guess that
Solution: Example 1
21
1lim 0.5
1x
xx
p. 67
Example 1 is illustrated by the graph
of f in the figure.
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Example 1
Figure 2.2.3, p. 67
Now, let’s change f slightly by giving it thevalue 2 when x = 1 and calling the resultingfunction g:
This new function g stillhas the same limit as x approaches 1.
2
11
12 1
xif x
g x xif x
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Example 1’
Estimate the value of .
The table lists values of the function for several values of t near 0.
As t approaches 0, the values of the function seem to approach 0.16666666…
So, we guess that:
2
20
9 3limt
t
t
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Example 2
2
20
9 3 1lim
6t
t
t
p. 68
These figures show quite accurate graphs
of the given function, we can estimate easily
that the limit is about 1/6.
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Example 2
Figure 2.2.5, p. 68
However, if we zoom in too much, then
we get inaccurate graphs—again because
of problems with subtraction.
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Example 2
Figure 2.2.5, p. 68
Guess the value of .
The function f(x) = (sin x)/x is not defined when x = 0. Using a calculator (and remembering that, if ,
sin x means the sine of the angle whose radian measure is x), we construct a table of values correct to eight decimal places.
0
sinlimx
x
x
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Example 3
x
p. 69
From the table and the graph, we guess that
This guess is, in fact, correct—as will be proved in Chapter 3, using a geometric argument.
0
sinlim 1x
x
x
Solution: Example 3
p. 69Figure 2.2.6, p. 69
Investigate .
Again, the function of f(x) = sin ( /x) is undefined at 0.
0limsinx x
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Example 4
Evaluating the function for some small values of x, we get:
Similarly, f(0.001) = f(0.0001) = 0.
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Example 4
1 sin 0f 1sin 2 0
2f
1sin 3 0
3f
1sin 4 0
4f
0.1 sin10 0f 0.01 sin100 0f
On the basis of this information,
we might be tempted to guess
that .
This time, however, our guess is wrong. Although f(1/n) = sin n = 0 for any integer n, it is
also true that f(x) = 1 for infinitely many values of x that approach 0.
0limsin 0x x
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Example 4
Wrong
The graph of f is given in the figure. the values of sin( /x) oscillate between 1 and –1
infinitely as x approaches 0. Since the values of f(x) do not approach a fixed
number as approaches 0, does not exist.
Solution: Example 4
Figure 2.2.7, p. 69
0limsinx x
Find .
As before, we construct a table of values. From the table, it appears that:
Later, we will see that:
3
0
cos5lim 0
10,000x
xx
3
0
cos5lim
10,000x
xx
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Example 5
p. 70
0lim cos5 1x x
Wrong
Examples 4 and 5 illustrate some of the
pitfalls in guessing the value of a limit. It is easy to guess the wrong value if we use
inappropriate values of x, but it is difficult to know when to stop calculating values.
As the discussion after Example 2 shows, sometimes, calculators and computers give the wrong values.
In the next section, however, we will develop foolproof methods for calculating limits.
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION
The Heaviside function H is defined by:
The function is named after the electrical engineer Oliver Heaviside (1850–1925).
It can be used to describe an electric current that is switched on at time t = 0.
0 1
1 0
if tH t
if t
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Example 6
The graph of the function is shown in
the figure. As t approaches 0 from the left, H(t) approaches 0. As t approaches 0 from the right, H(t) approaches 1. There is no single number that H(t) approaches as t
approaches 0. So, does not exist.
Solution: Example 6
0limt H t
Figure 2.2.8, p. 70
0lim 0t
H t
0lim 1t
H t
We write
and say the left-hand limit of f(x) as x
approaches a—or the limit of f(x) as x
approaches a from the left—is equal to L if
we can make the values of f(x) arbitrarily
close to L by taking x to be sufficiently close
to a and x less than a.
limx a
f x L
ONE-SIDED LIMITS Definition 2
ONE-SIDED LIMITS
The definitions are illustrated in the
figures.
Figure 2.2.9, p. 71
By comparing Definition 1 with the definition
of one-sided limits, we see that the following
is true:
lim lim limx a x a x a
f x L if and only if f x L and f x L
ONE-SIDED LIMITS
The graph of a function g is displayed. Use it
to state the values (if they exist) of:
2
limx
g x
2
limx
g x
2
limxg x
5limx
g x
5
limx
g x
5
limxg x
ONE-SIDED LIMITS Example 7
Figure 2.2.10, p. 71
(a) and
=> does NOT exist.
(b) and
=>
■ notice that .
2
lim 3x
g x
2
lim 1x
g x
Solution: Example 7
Figure 2.2.10, p. 71
2
limxg x
5
lim 2x
g x
5
lim 2x
g x
5
lim 2xg x
5 2g
Find if it exists.
As x becomes close to 0, x2 also becomes close to 0, and 1/x2 becomes very large.
20
1limx x
INFINITE LIMITS Example 8
p. 72
To indicate the kind of behavior exhibited
in the example, we use the following
notation:
This does not mean that we are regarding ∞ as a number. Nor does it mean that the limit exists. It simply expresses the particular way in which the limit
does not exist. 1/x2 can be made as large as we like by taking x close
enough to 0.
0 2
1limx x
Solution: Example 8
Let f be a function defined on both sides
of a, except possibly at a itself. Then,
means that the values of f(x) can be
made arbitrarily large—as large as we
please—by taking x sufficiently close to a,
but not equal to a.
limx a
f x
INFINITE LIMITS Definition 4
Another notation for is: limx a
f x
INFINITE LIMITS
f x as x a
Let f be defined on both sides of a, except
possibly at a itself. Then,
means that the values of f(x) can be made
arbitrarily large negative by taking x
sufficiently close to a, but not equal to a.
limx a
f x
INFINITE LIMITS Definition 5
The symbol can be read
as ‘the limit of f(x), as x approaches a,
is negative infinity’ or ‘f(x) decreases
without bound as x approaches a.’ As an example,
we have:
20
1limx x
INFINITE LIMITS
limx a
f x
Similar definitions can be given for the
one-sided limits:
Remember, ‘ ’ means that we consider only values of x that are less than a.
Similarly, ‘ ’ means that we consider only .
limx a
f x
limx a
f x
limx a
f x
limx a
f x
INFINITE LIMITS
x a
x a x a
Those four cases are illustrated here.
INFINITE LIMITS
Figure 2.2.14, p. 73
The line x = a is called a vertical asymptote
of the curve y = f(x) if at least one of the
following statements is true.
For instance, the y-axis is a vertical asymptote of the curve y = 1/x2 because .
limx a
f x
limx a
f x
limx a
f x
limx a
f x
limx a
f x
limx a
f x
INFINITE LIMITS Definition 6
0 2
1limx x
In the figures, the line x = a is a vertical
asymptote in each of the four cases shown. In general, knowledge of vertical asymptotes is very
useful in sketching graphs.
INFINITE LIMITS
Figure 2.2.14, p. 73
Find and .
If x is close to 3 but larger than 3, then the denominator x – 3 is a small positive number and 2x is close to 6.
So, the quotient 2x/(x – 3) is a large positive number.
Thus, intuitively, we see that .
3
2lim
3x
x
x 3
2lim
3x
x
x
INFINITE LIMITS Example 9
3
2lim
3x
x
x
The graph of the curve y = 2x/(x - 3) is
given in the figure. The line x – 3 is a vertical asymptote.
Solution: Example 9
Figure 2.2.15, p. 74
3
2lim
3x
x
x
3
2lim
3x
x
x
infinity
Nagative infinity
Find the vertical asymptotes of
f(x) = tan x. As , there are potential vertical
asymptotes where cos x = 0. In fact, since as and
as , whereas sin x is positive when x is near /2, we have:
and
This shows that the line x = /2 is a vertical asymptote.
INFINITE LIMITS Example 10
sintan
cos
xx
x
cos 0x / 2x cos 0x / 2x
/ 2lim tan
xx
/ 2lim tan
xx
Similar reasoning shows that the
lines x = (2n + 1) /2, where n is an
integer, are all vertical asymptotes of
f(x) = tan x. The graph confirms this.
Solution: Example 10
Figure 2.2.16, p. 74
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