Introduction to Limits

An Intuitive Approach

Jos La Luz e

November 22

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Introduction to Limits

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Why is the Limit Important?

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Introduction to Limits

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Why is the Limit Important?

CALCULUS=

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Introduction to Limits

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Why is the Limit Important?

CALCULUS= PRECALCULUS

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Introduction to Limits

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Why is the Limit Important?

CALCULUS= PRECALCULUS + LIMITS

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Introduction to Limits

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Intuitive Denition

Let f be a function and c a number not necessarily in the domain of f . Then lim f (x) = L
xc

means that the values of y are approaching L when x is approaching c.

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Introduction to Limits

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Intuitive Denition

Let f be a function and c a number not necessarily in the domain of f . Then lim f (x) = L
xc

means that the values of y are approaching L when x is approaching c. When one is presented with the problem of calculating the limit of f when x goes to c the has to ask the following:

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Introduction to Limits

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Intuitive Denition

Let f be a function and c a number not necessarily in the domain of f . Then lim f (x) = L
xc

means that the values of y are approaching L when x is approaching c. When one is presented with the problem of calculating the limit of f when x goes to c the has to ask the following: are the values of f (x) getting closer to a unique number when x is approaching c?

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Introduction to Limits

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Example I

What is lim 4?
x3

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Introduction to Limits

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Example I

What is lim 4? Notice that all the values of y are 4.

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Introduction to Limits

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Example I

What is lim 4? Notice that all the values of y are 4. Therefore when x
x3

approaches 3 the values of y are always 4.

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Introduction to Limits

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Example I

What is lim 4? Notice that all the values of y are 4. Therefore when x
x3

approaches 3 the values of y are always 4.

lim 4 = 4

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Introduction to Limits

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Example I

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Introduction to Limits

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Example II
What is lim (2x 1)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x f(x)

Approaching from the right of 2 x f(x)

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Example II
What is lim (2x 1)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x f(x) 1.6 2.2

Approaching from the right of 2 x f(x)

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Introduction to Limits

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Example II
What is lim (2x 1)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x f(x) 1.6 2.2 1.7 2.4

Approaching from the right of 2 x f(x)

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Introduction to Limits

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Example II
What is lim (2x 1)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x f(x) 1.6 2.2 1.7 2.4 1.8 2.6

Approaching from the right of 2 x f(x)

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Introduction to Limits

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Example II
What is lim (2x 1)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x f(x) 1.6 2.2 1.7 2.4 1.8 2.6 1.9 2.8

Approaching from the right of 2 x f(x)

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Introduction to Limits

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Example II
What is lim (2x 1)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x f(x) 1.6 2.2 1.7 2.4 1.8 2.6 1.9 2.8 1.99 2.98

Approaching from the right of 2 x f(x)

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Introduction to Limits

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Example II
What is lim (2x 1)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x f(x) 1.6 2.2 1.7 2.4 1.8 2.6 1.9 2.8 1.99 2.98 1.999 2.998

Approaching from the right of 2 x f(x)

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Example II
What is lim (2x 1)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x f(x) 1.6 2.2 1.7 2.4 1.8 2.6 1.9 2.8 1.99 2.98 1.999 2.998

Approaching from the right of 2 x f(x) 2.4 3.8

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Example II
What is lim (2x 1)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x f(x) 1.6 2.2 1.7 2.4 1.8 2.6 1.9 2.8 1.99 2.98 1.999 2.998

Approaching from the right of 2 x f(x) 2.4 3.8 2.3 3.6

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Example II
What is lim (2x 1)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x f(x) 1.6 2.2 1.7 2.4 1.8 2.6 1.9 2.8 1.99 2.98 1.999 2.998

Approaching from the right of 2 x f(x) 2.4 3.8 2.3 3.6 2.2 3.4

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Introduction to Limits

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Example II
What is lim (2x 1)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x f(x) 1.6 2.2 1.7 2.4 1.8 2.6 1.9 2.8 1.99 2.98 1.999 2.998

Approaching from the right of 2 x f(x) 2.4 3.8 2.3 3.6 2.2 3.4 2.1 3.2

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Introduction to Limits

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Example II
What is lim (2x 1)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x f(x) 1.6 2.2 1.7 2.4 1.8 2.6 1.9 2.8 1.99 2.98 1.999 2.998

Approaching from the right of 2 x f(x) 2.4 3.8 2.3 3.6 2.2 3.4 2.1 3.2 2.01 3.02

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Introduction to Limits

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Example II
What is lim (2x 1)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x f(x) 1.6 2.2 1.7 2.4 1.8 2.6 1.9 2.8 1.99 2.98 1.999 2.998

Approaching from the right of 2 x f(x) 2.4 3.8 2.3 3.6 2.2 3.4 2.1 3.2 2.01 3.02 2.001 3.002

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Introduction to Limits

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Example II
What is lim (2x 1)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x f(x) 1.6 2.2 1.7 2.4 1.8 2.6 1.9 2.8 1.99 2.98 1.999 2.998

Approaching from the right of 2 x f(x) 2.4 3.8 2.3 3.6 2.2 3.4 2.1 3.2 2.01 3.02 2.001 3.002

x2

lim (2x 1) = 3

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Introduction to Limits

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Example II

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Introduction to Limits

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Example III
If g (x) = 2x 1 0 x =2 x =2 what is lim g (x)?
x2

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Introduction to Limits

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Example III
If g (x) = 2x 1 0 x =2 x =2 what is lim g (x)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x g(x) 1.6 2.2 1.7 2.4 1.8 2.6 1.9 2.8 1.99 2.98 1.999 2.998

Approaching from the right of 2 x g(x) 2.4 3.8 2.3 3.6 2.2 3.4 2.1 3.2 2.01 3.02 2.001 3.002

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Introduction to Limits

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Example III
If g (x) = 2x 1 0 x =2 x =2 what is lim g (x)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x g(x) 1.6 2.2 1.7 2.4 1.8 2.6 1.9 2.8 1.99 2.98 1.999 2.998

Approaching from the right of 2 x g(x) 2.4 3.8 2.3 3.6 2.2 3.4 2.1 3.2 2.01 3.02 2.001 3.002

x2

lim g (x) = 3

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Introduction to Limits

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Example III

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Introduction to Limits

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Example IV
If h(x) = 2x 1 for x = 2, what is lim h(x)?
x2

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Introduction to Limits

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Example IV
If h(x) = 2x 1 for x = 2, what is lim h(x)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x h(x) 1.6 2.2 1.7 2.4 1.8 2.6 1.9 2.8 1.99 2.98 1.999 2.998

Approaching from the right of 2 x h(x) 2.4 3.8 2.3 3.6 2.2 3.4 2.1 3.2 2.01 3.02 2.001 3.002

Jos La Luz () e

Introduction to Limits

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Example IV
If h(x) = 2x 1 for x = 2, what is lim h(x)?
x2

Approaching from the left of 2 x h(x) 1.6 2.2 1.7 2.4 1.8 2.6 1.9 2.8 1.99 2.98 1.999 2.998

Approaching from the right of 2 x h(x) 2.4 3.8 2.3 3.6 2.2 3.4 2.1 3.2 2.01 3.02 2.001 3.002

x2

lim h(x) = 3

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Introduction to Limits

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Example IV

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Introduction to Limits

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Remark I
REMARK
lim f (x) does not depend on the value of f at c but only on what is happening around c.
xc

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Introduction to Limits

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Remark I
REMARK
lim f (x) does not depend on the value of f at c but only on what is happening around c.
xc

NOTATION
We denote the approach of c from the left as
xc

lim f (x)

We denote the approach of c from the right as

lim f (x)

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Introduction to Limits

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Example V

If j(x) =

|x| for x = 0, what is lim j(x)? x0 x

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Introduction to Limits

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Example V

If j(x) =

|x| for x = 0, what is lim j(x)? x0 x |x| = 1, so lim j(x) = 1 If x < 0 then x x0

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Introduction to Limits

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Example V

If j(x) =

|x| for x = 0, what is lim j(x)? x0 x |x| = 1, so lim j(x) = 1 If x < 0 then x x0 |x| = 1, so lim+ j(x) = 1 If x > 0 then x x0

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Introduction to Limits

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Example V

If j(x) =

|x| for x = 0, what is lim j(x)? x0 x |x| = 1, so lim j(x) = 1 If x < 0 then x x0 |x| = 1, so lim+ j(x) = 1 If x > 0 then x x0 So y is not getting closer to a unique value when x is closing to 0.

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Introduction to Limits

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Example V

If j(x) =

|x| for x = 0, what is lim j(x)? x0 x |x| = 1, so lim j(x) = 1 If x < 0 then x x0 |x| = 1, so lim+ j(x) = 1 If x > 0 then x x0 So y is not getting closer to a unique value when x is closing to 0. Therefore lim j(x) does not exist.
x0

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Introduction to Limits

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Example V

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Introduction to Limits

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Remark II

REMARK
xc

lim f (x) may not exist even if lim f (x) and lim+ f (x) exist.
xc xc

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Introduction to Limits

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Example VI

What is lim x? x0 lim x x0+ x x

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Example VI

What is lim x? x0 lim x x0+ x x

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Introduction to Limits

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Example VI

What is lim x? x0 lim x x0+ x x

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Introduction to Limits

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Example VI

What is lim x? x0 lim x x0+ x x

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Introduction to Limits

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Example VI

What is lim x? x0 lim x x0+ x x

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Example VI

What is lim x? x0 lim x x0+ x x

So lim+
x0

x = 0.

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Introduction to Limits

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Example VI

What is lim x? x0 lim x x0+ x x

So lim+
x0 x0

x = 0. But since

x is

only dened for x 0 then lim x does not exist.

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Introduction to Limits

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Example VI

What is lim x? x0 lim x x0+ x x

So lim+
x0

x = 0. But since

x is

x0

only dened for x 0 then lim x does not exist. Therefore x0 lim x does not exist.

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Introduction to Limits

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Example VI

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Introduction to Limits

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Example VII
What is lim lim+ 1 ? x

x0

x0

1 x
1 x

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Example VII
What is lim lim+ 1 ? x

x0

x0

1 x
1 x

x
1 2

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Example VII
What is lim lim+ 1 ? x

x0

x0

1 x
1 x

x
1 2 1 4

2 4

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Example VII
What is lim lim+ 1 ? x

x0

x0

1 x
1 x

x
1 2 1 4 1 100

2 4 100

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Example VII
What is lim lim+ 1 ? x

x0

x0

1 x
1 x

x
1 2 1 4 1 100 1 1,000

2 4 100 1,000

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Example VII
What is lim lim+ 1 ? x

x0

x0

1 x
1 x

x
1 2 1 4 1 100 1 1,000 1 10,000

2 4 100 1,000 10,000

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Example VII
What is lim lim+ 1 ? x The values of y get bigger as x is 1 closer to 0 then lim+ does not x0 x exist.

x0

x0

1 x
1 x

x
1 2 1 4 1 100 1 1,000 1 10,000

2 4 100 1,000 10,000

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Introduction to Limits

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Example VII
What is lim lim+ 1 ? x The values of y get bigger as x is 1 closer to 0 then lim+ does not x0 x 1 exist. Notice that since lim+ x0 x does not exist we do not have to check the limit from the left of 0.

x0

x0

1 x
1 x

x
1 2 1 4 1 100 1 1,000 1 10,000

2 4 100 1,000 10,000

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Introduction to Limits

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Example VII
What is lim lim+ 1 ? x The values of y get bigger as x is 1 closer to 0 then lim+ does not x0 x 1 exist. Notice that since lim+ x0 x does not exist we do not have to check the limit from the left of 0. 1 Therefore lim does not exist. x0 x

x0

x0

1 x
1 x

x
1 2 1 4 1 100 1 1,000 1 10,000

2 4 100 1,000 10,000

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Introduction to Limits

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Example VII

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Remark III
REMARK
xc xc xc

lim f (x) = L

i lim f (x) and lim+ f (x) exist and

lim f (x) = lim+ f (x) = L

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Remark III
REMARK
xc xc xc

lim f (x) = L

i lim f (x) and lim+ f (x) exist and

lim f (x) = lim+ f (x) = L

NOTATION
If the values of y increase without bound when x approaches c from the left (right) we write lim f (x) = ( lim+ f (x) = )
xc xc

If the values of y decrease without bound when x approaches c from the left (right) we write lim f (x) = ( lim+ f (x) = )
xc xc

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Introduction to Limits

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Example VII (again)

In the previous example

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Introduction to Limits

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Example VII (again)

In the previous example

lim

1 = x

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Introduction to Limits

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Example VII (again)

In the previous example

lim

1 = x 1 = x

x0

lim+

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Example VII (again)

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Example VIII

If w (x) =

0 1

x is rational what is lim w (x)? x1 x is irrational

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Example VIII

If w (x) =

0 x is rational what is lim w (x)? x1 1 x is irrational If x is rational then y is always 0 and if x is irrational then y is 1.

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Example VIII

0 x is rational what is lim w (x)? x1 1 x is irrational If x is rational then y is always 0 and if x is irrational then y is 1. Therefore lim w (x) does not exists. If w (x) =
x1

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Exercise I
Using the following graph to nd lim f (x), lim+ f (x) and lim f (x) for c = 2, 1, 0, 1, 2, 3
xc xc xc

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