Limit of a function

Definition of a function : Let A and B be two sets and f be a mapping from A into B. Then f
is said to be a function from A into B if for every element x in A an unique element y in B is
assigned by f and it is denoted by f : A B . The element y in B is called the image of x under f.
The sets A and B are called Domain and Co-domain respectively.
The set of all images in B is called the Range of the function f and is denoted by R(f).
If A and B are subsets of the real line R, then f is said to be a real valued function of a real
variable.
Limit of a function at a point a A :Let f : A B be a real valued function of a real variable. Let a R and let A contains all
points in some open interval (a h, a h) except possibly the point a itself. Then
Definition of limit : A real number L is called the limit of the function at the point a R if
for any given 0 there exists 0 such that | f (x) L | whenever | x a | .
It can also be written as L f (x) L whenever a x a .
We denote this as

lim f (x) L .
x a

From the definition, it is clear that as x approaches a, f(x) approaches the value L. Note that the
point a need not be in the domain A.

Example : Let f :(0,1) (1, 2) R as

x 3 if x (0,1)
f (x)
4 if x (1, 2)

Here the point 1 does not belong to the domain of f. Now it can be easily seen that

lim f (x) 4 ; because for 0 , 4 f (x) 4

x 1

Example : Using the definition of limit, prove that

lim x
x 1

3x 4 2

whenever 1 x 1 .

In order to prove that

lim f (x) 2 , let 0 be given. Here

f (x) x 2 3 x 4 and L 2 .

x 1

Now to prove that

| f (x) L | | (x 1)(x 2) | whenever | x 1|

for some 0 depending on

(1)

If there exists such a 0 , then we get 1 x 1

1 x 2 1
| x 2 | 1
| x 1| | x 2 | (1 ).
Now if is chosen such that (1 ). , then for such choice of , condition (1) is satisfied.
i.e

1 1 4
2

Example : Prove that

lim cos x

does not exist.

x 1

If we assume that there exists a limit L, then we arrive at a contradiction.

1
Let 0 be given. Then by assumption, there exists a 0 such that | cos L | whenever
x

| x 0 | .
Now we observe that if

For all n, | cos

and

1
1
1
2n , cos 0 and if 2n , cos 1 .
x
2
x
x
x

(4n 1)
L | | L |
2

| cos(2n 1)

If we choose

L | | L 1 |
2

(2)

(3)

1
1
, then there exists a
for some positive integer N. Now we can find
4
N

1
1
1
integers n greater than N such that when x , | x | and | L | and | L 1 | ,
n
4
4
Which is not possible for any L.
Hence the limit does not exist.

Right and left limit of a function at a point:

Right limit: L R is said to be the right limit of the function f at the point a R , if for any
given 0 , there exists a 0 such that | f (x) L | whenever a x a .
The above definition is denoted by

lim f (x) L . This means that when x approaches the value

x a

a from the right side, f(x) approaches the value L.

left limit: M R is said to be the left limit of the function f at a , if for any given 0 , there
exists a 0 such that | f (x) M | whenever a x a .
We denote this by

lim f (x) M . This means that when x approaches the value a from the left
x a

side, f(x) approaches the value M.

If the left and right limits at a point are equal, then we say that the limit exists at that point. i.e. ,
if

lim f (x) lim f (x) L , then lim f (x) L .

x a

x a

xa

Ex:- Let f :[0, 2] R be defined as

1 : x [0,1)
f (x)
2 : x [1, 2]

Then it can be easily seen that

lim f (x) 1 and lim f (x) 2 ,

x 1

Hence the limit does not exist at x 1 .

x 1