Indeterminate Forms 0 , 0 , 00 , 0 , 1 ,

0 ,

These are the so called indeterminate forms. One can apply LHopitals rule directly to the forms 0 0 0 and . It is simple to translate 0 into 1/ or into 1/0 , for example one can write limx xex as limx x/ex or as limx ex /(1/x). To see that the exponent forms are indeterminate note that ln 00 = 0 ln 0 = 0() = 0 , ln 0 = 0 ln = 0 , ln 1 = ln 1 = 0 = 0 These formulas also suggest ways to compute these limits using LHopitals rule. Basically we use two things, that ex and ln x are inverse functions of each other, and that they are continuous functions. If g(x) is a continuous function then g(limxa f (x)) = limxa g(f (x)). 1 For example lets gure out limx (1+ x )x = e. This is of the indeterminate form 1 . We write exp(x) for ex so to reduce the amount exponents. lim (1 + 1 x 1 1 ) = exp(ln( lim (1 + )x )) = exp( lim ln((1 + )x )) x x x x x 1 ln(1 + x ) 1 = exp( lim x ln(1 + )) = exp( lim ) x x x 1/x

0 We can now apply LHopitals since the limit is of the form 0 .

= exp( lim Exercises I. Find the limits. 1 3x ) x

1 (1/(1 + x ))(1/x2 ) 1 ) = exp( lim 1/(1 + )) = exp(1) = e. 2 x x 1/x x

A. lim (1 +
x

B. lim (1 +
x

k x ) x

C. lim (1 + x)1/x
x0

D. lim+ xx
x0

E. lim+ x(x
x0

F. lim+ x1/ ln x .
x0

One might be tempted to handle in a similar manner since e e = = . e But LHopitals rule doesnt help here as the derivatives dont simplify. Instead, let f (x) and g(x) be functions so that limxa f (x) = limxa g(x) = so that limxa (f (x) g(x)) is . One can rewrite f (x)g(x) as f (x)(1g(x)/f (x)). The limit limxa g(x)/f (x) is of the form and so we can use LHopital. If limxa (1 g(x)/f (x)) = c = 0 then limxa f (x)(1 g(x)/f (x)) = c limxa f (x) =sign of c (sign of c is depending on the sign of c. On the otherhand, if c = 0, then f(x)(1-g(x)/f(x)) is of the form 0 which we already know how to reexpress so that Hopitals rule can be applied. For example lets show that limx ( x + 1 x) = 0. This is of the indeterminate form . 1 ( 1 + x 1) x+1 1 limx ( x + 1 x) = limx x( 1) = limx x( 1 + 1) = limx x x x1/2 Now we can use LHopitals rule.
1/x2

= limx

1+1/x

(1/2)x3/2

= limx

2x3/2 /x2 2 1 + 1/x

= limx

1 x 1 + 1/x

= 0.

Exercises II. Find the limits. W. lim ((x + 1)3 x3 ) X. lim (ln(x + 2) ln(x)) Y. lim (3x 2x ) Z. lim (x2 x1 )
x x x x0