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Access the following online resource for additional instruction and practice with properties of limits.

Key concepts

  • The properties of limits can be used to perform operations on the limits of functions rather than the functions themselves. See [link] .
  • The limit of a polynomial function can be found by finding the sum of the limits of the individual terms. See [link] and [link] .
  • The limit of a function that has been raised to a power equals the same power of the limit of the function. Another method is direct substitution. See [link] .
  • The limit of the root of a function equals the corresponding root of the limit of the function.
  • One way to find the limit of a function expressed as a quotient is to write the quotient in factored form and simplify. See [link] .
  • Another method of finding the limit of a complex fraction is to find the LCD. See [link] .
  • A limit containing a function containing a root may be evaluated using a conjugate. See [link] .
  • The limits of some functions expressed as quotients can be found by factoring. See [link] .
  • One way to evaluate the limit of a quotient containing absolute values is by using numeric evidence. Setting it up piecewise can also be useful. See [link] .

Section exercises

Verbal

Give an example of a type of function f whose limit, as x approaches a , is f ( a ) .

If f is a polynomial function, the limit of a polynomial function as x approaches a will always be f ( a ) .

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When direct substitution is used to evaluate the limit of a rational function as x approaches a and the result is f ( a ) = 0 0 , does this mean that the limit of f does not exist?

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What does it mean to say the limit of f ( x ) , as x approaches c , is undefined?

It could mean either (1) the values of the function increase or decrease without bound as x approaches c , or (2) the left and right-hand limits are not equal.

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Algebraic

For the following exercises, evaluate the limits algebraically.

lim x 2 ( 5 x x 2 1 )

10 3

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lim x 2 ( x 2 5 x + 6 x + 2 )

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lim x 3 ( x 2 9 x 3 )

6

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lim x 1 ( x 2 2 x 3 x + 1 )

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lim x 3 2 ( 6 x 2 17 x + 12 2 x 3 )

1 2

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lim x 7 2 ( 8 x 2 + 18 x 35 2 x + 7 )

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lim x 3 ( x 2 9 x 5 x + 6 )

6

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lim x 3 ( 7 x 4 21 x 3 12 x 4 + 108 x 2 )

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lim x 3 ( x 2 + 2 x 3 x 3 )

does not exist

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lim h 0 ( ( 3 + h ) 3 27 h )

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lim h 0 ( ( 2 h ) 3 8 h )

12

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lim h 0 ( ( h + 3 ) 2 9 h )

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lim h 0 ( 5 h 5 h )

5 10

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lim x 0 ( 3 x 3 x )

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lim x 9 ( x 2 81 3 x )

108

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lim x 1 ( x x 2 1 x )

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lim x 0 ( x 1 + 2 x 1 )

1

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lim x 1 2 ( x 2 1 4 2 x 1 )

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lim x 4 ( x 3 64 x 2 16 )

6

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lim x 2 ( | x 2 | x 2 )

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lim x 2 + ( | x 2 | x 2 )

1

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lim x 2 ( | x 2 | x 2 )

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lim x 4 ( | x 4 | 4 x )

1

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lim x 4 + ( | x 4 | 4 x )

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lim x 4 ( | x 4 | 4 x )

does not exist

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lim x 2 ( 8 + 6 x x 2 x 2 )

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For the following exercise, use the given information to evaluate the limits: lim x c f ( x ) = 3 , lim x c g ( x ) = 5

lim x c [ 2 f ( x ) + g ( x ) ]

6 + 5

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lim x c [ 3 f ( x ) + g ( x ) ]

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lim x c f ( x ) g ( x )

3 5

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For the following exercises, evaluate the following limits.

lim x 2 cos ( π x )

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lim x 2 sin ( π x )

0

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lim x 2 sin ( π x )

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f ( x ) = { 2 x 2 + 2 x + 1 , x 0 x 3 ,   x > 0 lim x 0 + f ( x )

3

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f ( x ) = { 2 x 2 + 2 x + 1 , x 0 x 3 ,   x > 0 lim x 0 f ( x )

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f ( x ) = { 2 x 2 + 2 x + 1 , x 0 x 3 ,   x > 0 lim x 0 f ( x )

does not exist; right-hand limit is not the same as the left-hand limit.

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lim x 4 x + 5 3 x 4

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lim x 2 + ( 2 x 〚x〛 )

2

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lim x 2 x + 7 3 x 2 x 2

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lim x 3 + x 2 x 2 9

Limit does not exist; limit approaches infinity.

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For the following exercises, find the average rate of change f ( x + h ) f ( x ) h .

f ( x ) = 2 x 2 1

4 x + 2 h

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f ( x ) = x 2 + 4 x 100

2 x + h + 4

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f ( x ) = cos ( x )

cos ( x + h ) cos ( x ) h

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f ( x ) = 1 x

1 x ( x + h )

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f ( x ) = x

1 x + h + x

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Graphical

Find an equation that could be represented by [link] .

Graph of increasing function with a removable discontinuity at (2, 3).
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Find an equation that could be represented by [link] .

Graph of increasing function with a removable discontinuity at (-3, -1).

f ( x ) = x 2 + 5 x + 6 x + 3

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For the following exercises, refer to [link] .

Graph of increasing function from zero to positive infinity.

What is the right-hand limit of the function as x approaches 0?

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What is the left-hand limit of the function as x approaches 0?

does not exist

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Real-world applications

The position function s ( t ) = 16 t 2 + 144 t gives the position of a projectile as a function of time. Find the average velocity (average rate of change) on the interval [ 1 , 2 ] .

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The height of a projectile is given by s ( t ) = 64 t 2 + 192 t Find the average rate of change of the height from t = 1 second to t = 1.5 seconds.

52

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The amount of money in an account after t years compounded continuously at 4.25% interest is given by the formula A = A 0 e 0.0425 t , where A 0 is the initial amount invested. Find the average rate of change of the balance of the account from t = 1 year to t = 2 years if the initial amount invested is $1,000.00.

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Questions & Answers

find the equation of the tangent to the curve y=2x³-x²+3x+1 at the points x=1 and x=3
Esther Reply
derivative of logarithms function
Iqra Reply
how to solve this question
sidra
ex 2.1 question no 11
khansa
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khansa
question please
Rasul
ex 2.1 question no. 11
khansa
i cant type here
khansa
Find the derivative of g(x)=−3.
Abdullah Reply
any genius online ? I need help!!
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how can i help you?
Pina
need to learn polynomial
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i will teach...
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I'm waiting
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plz help me in question
Abish
How can I help you?
Tlou
evaluate the following computation (x³-8/x-2)
Murtala Reply
teach me how to solve the first law of calculus.
Uncle Reply
teach me also how to solve the first law of calculus
Bilson
what is differentiation
Ibrahim Reply
only god knows😂
abdulkadir
f(x) = x-2 g(x) = 3x + 5 fog(x)? f(x)/g(x)
Naufal Reply
fog(x)= f(g(x)) = x-2 = 3x+5-2 = 3x+3 f(x)/g(x)= x-2/3x+5
diron
pweding paturo nsa calculus?
jimmy
how to use fundamental theorem to solve exponential
JULIA Reply
find the bounded area of the parabola y^2=4x and y=16x
Omar Reply
what is absolute value means?
Geo Reply
Chicken nuggets
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🐔
MM
🐔🦃 nuggets
MM
(mathematics) For a complex number a+bi, the principal square root of the sum of the squares of its real and imaginary parts, √a2+b2 . Denoted by | |. The absolute value |x| of a real number x is √x2 , which is equal to x if x is non-negative, and −x if x is negative.
Ismael
find integration of loge x
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find the volume of a solid about the y-axis, x=0, x=1, y=0, y=7+x^3
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Brad Reply
Can calculus give the answers as same as other methods give in basic classes while solving the numericals?
Cosmos Reply
log tan (x/4+x/2)
Rohan
please answer
Rohan
y=(x^2 + 3x).(eipix)
Claudia
is this a answer
Ismael
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Practice Key Terms 1

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Source:  OpenStax, Precalculus. OpenStax CNX. Jan 19, 2016 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11667/1.6
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