Formal Definition

for any >0, there is a >0 so that |f(x)-L|< when 0<|x-a|<

Now that looks scary..

What is a limit?
(in simple English)

-Symbolic Definition:

()

-It is defined by: f(x) getting close to some limit, as x gets close to some value a. It is the number that your function f(x) gets really close to without touching it.

More Limit Definitions

For a function that is not continuous, we need to check the limit from the left and the right. The limit as x approaches a from the right
+

() ()

The limit as x approached a from the left

Examples
Lets plus in numbers close to 1 and see what number of function will approach x (x2-1)/(x-1) 0.5 1.50000 0.9 1.90000 0.99 1.99000 0.999 1.99900 0.9999 1.99990 0.99999 1.99999
.

As x gets closer and closer to 1, we approach the number 2.

=2

To Infinity and Beyond

- What is infinity defined as? - What would happen if we took the limit as x approaches infinity? What is the value of ? What is the values of ?

Hint: Try plugging in really big numbers to your calculator and see what happens.

Infinity Cont

is said to be undefined, but does it approach a number?

will always be infinity. There are no numbers larger than infinity, so that is the limit as infinity approaches infinity?

-These properties need to be remembered and memorized for future tests.

1. lim 2 4 + 10
3 x 2. lim 2 10 2 +23 3. lim 1 1

Practice Practice Practice

4. lim

4x3 +2x+10 2x

5.

x+2 2 lim 2

 Limits are important. Who would of thought! Can anyone think of how they are used? Limits must be used in an engineering aspect of our society. Engineers take the limits of functions( much harder than ours) to see as they approach a certain space at what point a are they going to reach before touching that point, building bridges, skyscrapers, and large building limits are used when designing and blueprinting the structure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnHuZs7ar7I This link is found on the unit plan website as well.