Limits at Infinity

and Infinite Limits

more examples of limits

 Motivation:
handling infinite variable
and infinite function
 2

Question. Can we describe f(x)=1/x

in mathematics: 1

(1) infinite value of variable? O

(2) infinite value of function?

 2

Question. Can we describe f(x)=1/x

in mathematics: 1

(1) infinite value of variable? O

(2) infinite value of function?

Application: horizontal and vertical asymptotes

 Limits at infinity
infinite value of variable
Definition. L = lim f (x)
x→∞

⇔ ∀ε > 0 ∃N > 0 / x > N ⇒ |f (x) − L| < ε

 Definition. L = lim f (x)
x→∞

⇔ ∀ε > 0 ∃N > 0 / x > N ⇒ |f (x) − L| < ε

5x + 1
Example: lim =5
x→∞ x − 2

⇔ ∀ε > 0 ∃N > 0 / x > N

 
 5x + 1 
⇒  − 5 < ε
x−2
(in particular, | 5x+1
x−2 − 5| =
11
|x−2| < ε if N = 2 + 11
ε )
 Properties: Let lim f (x) and lim g(x) exist,
x→∞ x→∞

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

x→∞ x→∞ x→∞
lim [f (x) − g(x)] = lim f (x) − lim g(x)
x→∞ x→∞ x→∞
lim [f (x) · g(x)] = [ lim f (x)] · [ lim g(x)]
x→∞ x→∞ x→∞
lim [f (x)/g(x)] = [ lim f (x)]/[ lim g(x)],
x→∞ x→∞ x→∞
lim g(x) 6= 0
p q x→∞
n
lim g(x) = n lim g(x), lim g(x) > 0, n even
x→∞ x→∞ x→∞
EXAMPLES
EXAMPLE 1. Evaluate limit
1
lim
x→∞ x
 EXAMPLE 1. Evaluate limit
1
lim
x→∞ x

As variable x gets larger, 1/x gets smaller because

1 is being divided by a laaaaaaaarge number:
 1 1 
x = 1010, = 10
x 10
 EXAMPLE 1. Evaluate limit
1
lim
x→∞ x

As variable x gets larger, 1/x gets smaller because

1 is being divided by a laaaaaaaarge number:
 1 1 
x = 1010, = 10
x 10
The limit is 0.
1
lim = 0.
x→∞ x
EXAMPLE 2. Limits
1
lim n = 0
x→∞ x

1
lim √
n
=0
x→∞ x
 EXAMPLE 2. Limits
1
lim n = 0
x→∞ x

1
lim √
n
=0
x→∞ x
By the same argument
1 1
lim = 0, lim √ =0
x→∞ x − 100 x→∞ n
x − 10000
EXAMPLE 3. Evaluate limit
1
lim √
x→∞ n x2 + x − C
 EXAMPLE 3. Evaluate limit
1
lim √
x→∞ n x2 + x − C

Recall the graph of

2
y =x +x−C
y= x 2+ x - C
Observation:

x→∞⇒y→∞
O
Value of C does not matter. -1/4-C

The answer is 0.
EXAMPLE 4. Evaluate limit (not evoke graphs)
1
lim 2
x→∞ x − x − 1
 EXAMPLE 4. Evaluate limit (not evoke graphs)
1
lim 2
x→∞ x − x − 1

Attention: indeterminacy ∞ − ∞
1
= lim
x→∞ 2
 1 1 
x 1− − 2
x x
1 1
= lim 2 lim =0·1=0
x→∞ x x→∞ 1 1
1− − 2
x x
EXAMPLE 5. Evaluate limit
5x3 − 2x2 − 1
lim
x→∞ x3 − x + 1
 EXAMPLE 5. Evaluate limit
5x3 − 2x2 − 1
lim
x→∞ x3 − x + 1
Standard trick: divide by the highest degree of x
5x3 2x2 1 2 1
3
− 3
− 3
5 − − 3
= lim x x x = lim x x
x→∞ x 3
x 1 x→∞ 1 1
− + 1− 2+ 3
x3 x3 x3 x x
5−0−0
= =5
1−0+0
EXAMPLE 6. Evaluate limit
x−2
lim p
x→∞
2x2 − x + 1
 EXAMPLE 6. Evaluate limit
x−2
lim p
x→∞
2x2 − x + 1
Standard trick: divide by the highest degree of x
x 2 x 2
− − 3
= lim √ x x = lim r x x
x→∞ 2x2 − x + 1 x→∞ 2x2 x 1
√ − +
x2 x2 x2 x2
1−0 1
=√ =√ .
2−0+0 2
 Indeterminacy:
unsuitable breaking in limits
 Attention: Indeterminacy
2 3
[x + 1]  ∞  [x − 1] 0
lim 3 lim 2
x→∞ [x − 3] ∞ x→1 [x − 1] 0
Wrong breaking! Limit laws do not apply!

lim[1 − cos x][cot x] ( 0 · ∞ )

x→0

Substitution is undefined!
p p
lim [ x2 + x] − [ x2 − x] ( ∞ − ∞ )
x→∞

Rewrite first!
 ∞
Indeterminacy :
∞
[x2 + 1]
lim 3
x→∞ [x − 3]
 ∞
Indeterminacy :
∞
[x2 + 1]
lim 3
x→∞ [x − 3]

division by highest exponent of x:

x2 1
3
+ 3 0+0
x
lim 3 x = =0
x→∞ x 3 1−0
3
− 3
x x
 0
Indeterminacy :
0
3
[x − 1]
lim 2
x→1 [x − 1]
 0
Indeterminacy :
0
3
[x − 1]
lim 2
x→1 [x − 1]

factoring and re-grouping:

2 2
(x − 1)(x + x + 1) (x − 1) (x + x + 1)
lim = lim ·
x→1 (x − 1)(x + 1) x→1 (x − 1) (x + 1)
(x − 1) (x2 + x + 1) 3 3
= [lim ] · [lim ]=1· =
x→1 (x − 1) x→1 (x + 1) 2 2
Indeterminacy 0 · ∞:

lim[1 − cos x] · [cot x]

x→0
 Indeterminacy 0 · ∞:

lim[1 − cos x] · [cot x]

x→0

factoring, re-grouping, and special limits:

cos x 1 − cos x x cos x
lim(1 − cos x) = lim
x→0 sin x x→0 x sin x 1
 Indeterminacy 0 · ∞:

lim[1 − cos x] · [cot x]

x→0

factoring, re-grouping, and special limits:

cos x 1 − cos x x cos x
lim(1 − cos x) = lim
x→0 sin x x→0 x sin x 1

1 − cos x x cos x
= [lim ][lim ][lim ] = 0·1·1 = 0
x→0 x x→0 sin x x→0 1
Indeterminacy ∞ − ∞:
p p
lim [ x2 + x] − [ x2 − x]
x→∞
 Indeterminacy ∞ − ∞:
p p
lim [ x2 + x] − [ x2 − x]
x→∞

multiplying by conjugate, re-grouping:

√ √ √ √
( x2 + x − x2 − x) ( x2 + x + x2 − x)
= lim √ √
x→∞ 1 ( x2 + x + x2 − x)
 Indeterminacy ∞ − ∞:
p p
lim [ x2 + x] − [ x2 − x]
x→∞

multiplying by conjugate, re-grouping:

√ √ √ √
( x2 + x − x2 − x) ( x2 + x + x2 − x)
= lim √ √
x→∞ 1 ( x2 + x + x2 − x)
2 2
x +x−x +x
= lim √ √
x→∞ x2 + x + x2 − x
 2x
= lim √ √
x→∞ x2 + x + x2 − x
 2x
= lim √ √
x→∞ x2 + x + x2 − x
∞/∞: division by the highest exponent
2x
= lim r xr
x→∞ x2 x x2 x
+ + −
x2 x2 x2 x2
2
=√ √ =1
1+0+ 1−0
 Infinite limits
infinite value of function
 Definition. lim f (x) = ∞
x→c

⇔ ∀M > 0 ∃δ > 0 / 0 < |x − c| < δ ⇒ f (x) > M

 Definition. lim f (x) = ∞
x→c

⇔ ∀M > 0 ∃δ > 0 / 0 < |x − c| < δ ⇒ f (x) > M

1
Example: lim 2
=∞
x→2 (x − 2)

⇔ ∀M > 0 ∃δ > 0 / 0 < |x−2| <

1
⇒ > M
(x − 2)2
1 √1
(in particular, (x−2)2
> M if δ = M
)
Example 7. lim f (x) = −∞
x→c

⇔ ∀M < 0 ∃δ > 0 /

0 < |x − c| < δ ⇒ f (x) < M

Example 7. lim f (x) = −∞
x→c

⇔ ∀M < 0 ∃δ > 0 /

0 < |x − c| < δ ⇒ f (x) < M

Example 8. lim f (x) = ∞

x→∞

⇔ ∀M > 0 ∃N > 0 /

x > N ⇒ f (x) > M

EXAMPLES
EXAMPLE 9. Evaluate infinite limit
1
lim 2
x→1− x − 1
 EXAMPLE 9. Evaluate infinite limit
1
lim 2
x→1− x − 1

Factoring and sign analysis:

1 1
= lim = − = −∞
x→1− (x − 1)(x + 1) (0 ) · (2)
EXAMPLE 10. Evaluate infinite limit
x2 + 3x − 4
lim 2
x→2 x − 4x + 4
 EXAMPLE 10. Evaluate infinite limit
x2 + 3x − 4
lim 2
x→2 x − 4x + 4

Factoring and sign analysis:

(x + 4)(x − 1) (6) · (1)
= lim 2
= +
= −∞
x→2 (x − 2) (0 )
EXAMPLE 11. Evaluate infinite limit
1
lim
x→0 sin x
 EXAMPLE 11. Evaluate infinite limit
1
lim
x→0 sin x

Sign analysis for one-sided limits:

1 1
lim = + = +∞
x→0+ sin x (0 )
 EXAMPLE 11. Evaluate infinite limit
1
lim
x→0 sin x

Sign analysis for one-sided limits:

1 1
lim = + = +∞
x→0+ sin x (0 )
1 1
lim = − = −∞
x→0− sin x (0 )
 EXAMPLE 11. Evaluate infinite limit
1
lim
x→0 sin x

Sign analysis for one-sided limits:

1 1
lim = + = +∞
x→0+ sin x (0 )
1 1
lim = − = −∞
x→0− sin x (0 )
Limit at 0 does not exist