Sec. 2.

2 - Limits Involving Infinity

The limit of f(x) as x approaches infinity ( ) means the limit of f as x moves
increasingly far to the right on the number line. The limit of f(x) as x approaches
negative infinity (- ) means the limit of f as x moves increasingly far to the left
on the number line. The limit in each
case may or may not exist.
graph of f (x) = 1
Look at the
x
6

-6

-6

1
1
=0
lim = 0
and
x

x
x
y = 0 is a horizontal asymptote of the graph of f.
lim
x

Definition Horizontal
Asymptote

The line y = b is a horizontal asymptote of the graph of a function y = f(x) if

either
lim f (x) = b or lim f (x) = b
x

A helpful limit:

1
1
= 0 (Because as x gets very large,
gets very small.)
x x
x

lim

To find a horizontal asymptote for the graph of a function, find the limit as x
approachesinfinity. The horizontal asymptote will
be y = lim f (x) .
x

Example 1: Find the horizontal asymptote of each of the following functions:

1

a) f (x) = 2 +
x
1
lim(2 + ) = 2 + 0 = 2
x
x
Therefore, the horizontal asymptote is y = 2.

Example 2: Find the horizontal asymptote of f (x) =

4 x 2 5x + 1
6x 2 7

4x2 5x +1
x
6x 2 7
4 x 2 5x 1

2+ 2
2
x
lim x 2 x
(Divide everything by the highest power of x.)
x
6x
7

x2 x2
5 7
4 - + 2 4 0+0 4 2
x x =
lim
= =
x
7
6

0
6 3
6 2
x
lim

Therefore y =

2
is a horizontal asymptote.
3

2x 3 + 4 x 2 1
Example 3: Find the horizontal asymptote of f (x) =
x3

3
2
2x + 4 x 1
lim
x
x3
3
2x
4x2 1

+
3
3
3
x
x
x
lim
x
x
3
3
3
x
x
4 1
2+ 3
x x = 2 + 0 0 = 2 = undefined
lim
x
1
3
00
0
3
2
x
x

Therefore, there is no horizontal asymptote.

Lets look at the graph of f (x) =

sin x
x
10

x
-10

10

-10

The graph oscillates about the x-axis. The amplitude of the oscillations
decreases toward 0 as x . Therefore,
lim

sin x
5x +
x
x
5x sin x
lim( +
)
x x
x
sin x
lim(5 +
)
x
x
5+ 0

Example 4: Find lim

sin x
=0
x

A graph can have more than one horizontal asymptote.

Example 5: Find the horizontal asymptote(s) of f (x) =
4x + 2
x + x 3
lim

4x + 2
x 3

4x + 2
x x 3
lim

2
4+ 2
and
x = 4+0 =4
x = 4 + 0 = 4
lim
lim
x +
x
3 1 0
3 1 0
1
1
x
x
Therefore, y = 4 and y = -4 are both horizontal asymptotes.
4+

Example
6:

asymptote(s) of f (x) = (3 +
Find the horizontal
x
x2
)(
)
x
x + 2 4 + x2

1
1
1
1
lim(3 +
)(
) = (3 +
)(
)=4
x
2 4
1+
0
0
+
1
1+
+1
x x2
Therefore, y = 4 is a horizontal asymptote.
lim(3 +

x
x2
)(
)
x + 2 4 + x2