Lesson 2: Limit of a Function and Theorems on Limits

Learning
Outcomes: After working through this lesson, you are able to:
a) Determine the behavior of the values of the function f(x) as x gets
closer and closer to real number 𝑎
b) Make a table of values for the function f
c) Use the theorems on limits to evaluate limits of functions

2.1 Limit of a Function

• An intuitive Concept of the Limit of a Function (Tabular and Graphical
Approach)

We shall begin our discussion on the limit of a function with the emphasis that our
treatment will appeal more to our intuition than to rigor.
Let a function 𝑓 be defined throughout an open interval containing a real number a,
except possibly at a itself. We are often interested in the function value f(x) when x is
very close to a, but not necessarily equal to a. In fact, in many instances, the number a
is not in the domain of f, i.e. 𝑓(𝑎) is not defined.

A limit will tell you the behavior of a function nearby a point. The notion of the limit of
a function is suggested by the question: “What happens to f(x) as x gets nearer and
nearer to a (but 𝑥 ≠ 𝑎)? Does f(x) approach some number L?” The question implies that we
have to find the “limit of f(x) as x approaches a, or⁡ lim 𝑓(𝑥).”
𝑥→𝑎
Consider the function defined by the equation
f (x) = 3x + 1
and assign some values to x near, but not equal, to a specific number, say 2. For each
value of x in the neighborhood of 2, we compute the corresponding value of y. To get
an idea of what is happening, we construct a table of values as shown below:

x 1.500 1.890 1.99 2.009 2.050 2.160 2.300

f(x) 5.500 6.670 6.997 7.027 7.150 7.480 7.900

The table shows that when x is near 2, whether a little or less or a little greater than 2,
f(x) = 3x + 1 is nearer 7. In other words, “3x + 1 approaches the number 7 as 𝑎 limit when
x approaches 2 “. The abbreviated symbolic form for this statement is
3x + 1 → 7 as x → 2.
We may also say that “the limit of 3x + 1 as x approaches 2 is 7”. In symbol, we
write this as
lim (3𝑥 + 1) = 7.
𝑥→2

Observe the behavior of the linear function 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 2 as we choose the x values in
such a way that they are getting closer and closer to 2 from both sides; that is, the x
values less than 2 and greater than 2. The table below shows the corresponding values
of
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 2

x 1 1.5 1.8 1.95 1.999 1.9999 2 2.0001 2.001 2.01 2.05

y = f(x) 3 3.5 3.8 3.95 3.999 3.9999 4 4.0001 4.001 4.01 4.05
The values of 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 2 come closer and closer to the value 4 as the x values get
closer and closer to 2. Hence, we say that the limit of 𝑓(𝑥) as x approaches 2 is 4.
Symbolically, we write
 lim (𝑥 + 2) = 4
𝑥→2
There are three important ideas to learn from the given examples.
1. Saying that the limit of f(x) approaches L as x approaches c means that the value of
f(x) may be made arbitrarily close to the number L by choosing x closer and closer
to 𝑎.
2. For a limit to exist, you must allow x to approach c from either side of 𝑎. If 𝑓(𝑥)
approaches a different number as x approaches 𝑎 from the left than it does as x
approaches c from the right, then the limit does not exist.
3. The value of 𝑓(𝑥) when 𝑥 = 𝑎 has no bearing on the existence or nonexistence of the
limit of 𝑓(𝑥) as x approaches 𝑎.

Definition If 𝑓(𝑥) becomes arbitrarily close to a single number L as x approaches𝒄

of Limit from either side, then
lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿
𝑥→𝑐
Which is read as “the limit of 𝑓(𝑥) as x approaches c is L.”

2.2 Theorems on Limits

This section deals with several theorems by means of which we shall be able to evaluate
the limits of functions rapidly and efficiently. To evaluate or to find
lim⁡ f(𝑥)
𝑥→𝑎
means that we are to find the number L that f (x) is near, whenever x is near 𝑎 but not
equal to 𝛼. Of course, when x = 𝑎, the value of t6he function is f (α) is also the limit i.e.,
L= f (𝑎). Thus, to evaluate
lim⁡(4 − 𝑥 2 )
𝑥→1
means to find a number which 4 − 𝑥 2 ⁡is near whenever x is near the number 1. By
definition 1.1, we know that
lim⁡(4 − 𝑥 2 ) = 3
𝑥→1
Since by choosing x sufficiently close to 1, 4 − 𝑥 2 ⁡ can be made to come as close to 3 as
we please.

To obtain the limits of more complicated functions, we shall use the following theorems
which we shall state symbolically without proof.

L1. lim 𝑐 = 𝑐 , c = any constant

𝑥→𝑎

L2. lim 𝑥 = 𝑎 , 𝑎 = any real number

𝑥→𝑎

L3. lim 𝑐⁡𝑓(𝑥) = ⁡ c⁡lim 𝑓(𝑥)

𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎

L4. lim [𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑔(𝑥)] = lim 𝑓(𝑥) + lim 𝑔(𝑥)

𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎

L5. lim [𝑓(𝑥) ∗ 𝑔(𝑥)] = lim 𝑓(𝑥) ∗ lim 𝑔(𝑥)

𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎

𝑓(𝑥) lim 𝑓(𝑥)

L6. lim = ⁡ 𝑥→𝑎
𝑥→𝑎 𝑔(𝑥) lim 𝑔(𝑥)
𝑥→𝑎

𝑛
L7. lim √𝑓(𝑥) = ⁡ 𝑛√ lim 𝑓(𝑥) , n = any positive integer and f(x) ≥ 0 if n is even
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎

L8. lim [𝑓(𝑥)]𝑛 =⁡ [lim 𝑓(𝑥)]𝑛 ⁡

𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎

In starting the above theorems, we assume that f(x) and g(x) are defined for all values
of x in some interval containing 𝑎, except possibly at a itself. These theorems may be
stated briefly in words. For instance, L4 is sometimes stated as “the limits of a sum is
the sum of the limits”. To illustrate the use of these theorems, we have the following
examples.

Example 1:

1. lim ( 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥⁡ + 4) ⁡ =⁡ lim 𝑥 2 +⁡ lim 3𝑥⁡ +⁡ lim 4 by L4

𝑥→2 𝑥→2 𝑥→2 𝑥→2
2. lim ( 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥⁡ + 4) ⁡ =⁡[lim 𝑥]2 +⁡ 3 lim 𝑥⁡ +⁡ 4 by L8, L3, L1
𝑥→2 𝑥→2 𝑥→2
3. lim ( 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥⁡ + 4) ⁡ =⁡22 + 3(2) +4 by L2
𝑥→2
4. lim ( 𝑥 2 + 3𝑥⁡ + 4) ⁡ = ⁡14
𝑥→2
Example 2:
1. lim ( 𝑥 + 4)√2𝑥 + 5⁡ = lim ( 𝑥 + 4)⁡ lim √2𝑥 + 5⁡ by L5
𝑥→2 𝑥→2 𝑥→2

2. = (lim 𝑥 + ⁡ lim 4)⁡⁡ √ lim (2𝑥 + 5) ⁡⁡ by L4, L7

𝑥→2 𝑥→2 𝑥→2

3. = (lim 𝑥 + ⁡ lim 4)⁡⁡ √ lim 2𝑥⁡ + ⁡ lim 5 by L4

𝑥→2 𝑥→2 𝑥→2 𝑥→2

4. = (lim 𝑥 + ⁡ lim 4)⁡⁡ √2 lim 𝑥⁡ + ⁡ lim 5 by L3

𝑥→2 𝑥→2 𝑥→2 𝑥→2

5. lim ( 𝑥 + 4)√2𝑥 + 5⁡ = (2 + 4⁡)√2(2) + 5 by L2, L1

𝑥→2
= 18

Example 3:
2
1. lim (3𝑥 + 4)2 ⁡ =⁡[lim (3𝑥 + 4)] by L8
𝑥→3 𝑥→3
2
= [lim 3𝑥 + lim 4] by L4
𝑥→3 𝑥→3
2
2. lim (3𝑥 + 4)2 ⁡ = [3 lim 𝑥 + lim 4] by L3
𝑥→2 𝑥→3 𝑥→3
3. = [3(3) + 4]2 ⁡ by L2, L1
4. lim (3𝑥 + 4) ⁡ = 169
2
𝑥→2

Note that the limits of the functions in the above examples can be obtained by straight
substitution. For instance, in example 2, we see that straight substitution of x = 2 gives
the desired limits. Thus in practice, the solution may simply be written as follows:

lim ( 𝑥 + 4)√2𝑥 + 5⁡ = (2 + 4⁡)√2(2) + 5

𝑥→2

6. lim ( 𝑥 + 4)√2𝑥 + 5⁡ = (6)√9

𝑥→2

7. lim ( 𝑥 + 4)√2𝑥 + 5⁡ = 18
𝑥→2

Try these out.

Evaluate each of the following:

1. lim ( 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥⁡ + 3)⁡

𝑥→2

4𝑥+2
2. lim
𝑥→3 𝑥+4

3. lim (𝑥 3 + 3)(𝑥 + 2)
𝑥→1

4. lim √𝑥 2 + 2
𝑥→4
5. lim𝜋( 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑥 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑥)⁡
𝑥→ 4

𝑠𝑖𝑛2𝑥
6. lim𝜋 ( )
𝑥→ 3 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑥