SOLUTIONS TO LIMITS OF FUNCTIONS AS X APPROACHES A

CONSTANT

SOLUTION 1 :

.
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SOLUTION 2 :

(Circumvent the indeterminate form by factoring both the numerator and

denominator.)

(Divide out the factors x - 2 , the factors which are causing the indeterminate form

. Now the limit can be computed. )

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SOLUTION 3 :

(Circumvent the indeterminate form by factoring both the numerator and

denominator.)

(Divide out the factors x - 3 , the factors which are causing the indeterminate form

. Now the limit can be computed. )

.
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SOLUTION 4 :

(Algebraically simplify the fractions in the numerator using a common denominator.)

(Division by

is the same as multiplication by

(Factor the denominator . Recall that

.)

.)

(Divide out the factors x + 2 , the factors which are causing the indeterminate form

. Now the limit can be computed. )

.
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SOLUTION 5 :

(Eliminate the square root term by multiplying by the conjugate of the numerator
over itself. Recall that
.)

(Divide out the factors x - 4 , the factors which are causing the indeterminate form

. Now the limit can be computed. )

.
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SOLUTION 6 :

(It may appear that multiplying by the conjugate of the numerator over itself is a
reasonable next step.
It's a good idea, but doesn't work. Instead, write x - 27 as the difference of cubes and
recall that
.)

(Divide out the factors

, the factors which are causing the indeterminate form

. Now the limit can be computed. )

= 27 .
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SOLUTION 7 :

(Multiplying by conjugates won't work for this challenging problem. Instead, recall
that
and
, and note that
. This should help explain the next few mysterious steps.)

and

(Divide out the factors x - 1 , the factors which are causing the indeterminate form

. Now the limit can be computed. )

.
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SOLUTION 8 :

(If you wrote that

by 5.)

, you are incorrect. Instead, multiply and divide

(Use the well-known fact that

.)

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SOLUTION 9 :

(Recall the trigonometry identity

.)

(The numerator is the difference of squares. Factor it.)

(Divide out the factors

form

, the factors which are causing the indeterminate

. Now the limit can be computed. )

.
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SOLUTION 10 :

(Factor x from the numerator and denominator, then divide these factors out.)

(The numerator approaches -7 and the denominator is a positve quantity approaching

0 .)

(This is NOT an indeterminate form. The answer follows.)

.
(Thus, the limit does not exist.)
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SOLUTION 11 :

(The numerator approaches -3 and the denominator is a negative quantity which

approaches 0 as x
approaches 0 .)

(This is NOT an indeterminate form. The answer follows.)

.
(Thus, the limit does not exist.)
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SOLUTION 12 :

(Recall that

.)

(Divide out the factors x - 1 , the factors which are causing the indeterminate form

. Now the limit can be computed. )

.
(The numerator approaches 3 and the denominator approaches 0 as x approaches 1 .
However, the quantity
in the denominator is sometimes negative and sometimes positive. Thus, the correct
answer is NEITHER
NOR

. The correct answer follows.)

The limit does not exist.
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SOLUTION 13 :

(Make the replacement

approaches 0 . )

so that

. Note that as x approaches , h

(Recall the well-known, but seldom-used, trigonometry identity

.)

(Recall the well-known trigonometry identity

(Recall that

.)

.)

=2.
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The next problem requires an understanding of one-sided limits.

SOLUTION 14 : Consider the function

i.) The graph of f is given below.

ii.) Determine the following limits.

a.)

b.)

c.) We have that

.
does not exist since

d.)

e.)

.
.

does not equal

f.) We have that

since

g.) We have that

(The
numerator is always -1 and the denominator is always a positive number
approaching 0.) , so the limit does not exist.

h.)

i.) We have that

.
does not exist since

does not equal

j.)

k.)

l.)

.
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SOLUTION 15 : Consider the function

Determine the values of constants a and b so that
exists. Begin by
computing one-sided limits at x=2 and setting each equal to 3. Thus,

and
.
Now solve the system of equations
a+2b = 3 and b-4a = 3 .
Thus,
a = 3-2b so that b-4(3-2b) = 3
iff b-12+ 8b = 3
iff 9b = 15

iff

Then

.
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About this document ...

Duane Kouba
Tue Aug 27 13:48:42 PDT 1996