Topic 1

Definition of a Limit
 Introduction
Consider the graph of y = x 2.

What value does y or f(x)

appear to be approaching as x
approaches 2?
As we move closer to x = 2 on
both sides of the curve, we see L
that the value of the function is
approaching 4.
a
 THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION
Definition: If we can make the values of f (x) as
close to L as we like, by taking values of x to be
sufficiently close to a (on either side of a) but not
equal to a, we write

lim f (x) = L
x® a
or
f ( x)  L as x  a
and say “the limit of f (x), as x approaches a,
equals L”.
 LEFT-HAND LIMITS
Definition: If we can make
the values of f (x) as close
to L as we like, by taking L

values of x to be sufficiently
close to a and x < a, we write a

lim  f ( x)  L
x a
and say “the left-hand limit of f (x), as x
approaches a, equals L” or “the limit of f (x) as
x approaches a from the left equals L”.
 RIGHT-HAND LIMITS
Definition: If we can make the
values of f (x) as close to L as L
we like, by taking values of x
to be sufficiently close to a and
a
x > a, we write
lim  f ( x)  L
x a
and say “the right-hand limit of f (x), as x
approaches a, equals L” or “the limit of f (x) as
x approaches a from the right equals L”.
 A LEFT-HAND RIGHT-HAND
LIMIT THEOREM
This theorem proves when a limit exists.
Theorem:

lim f ( x)  L
xa

if and only if
lim f ( x)  L and lim f ( x)  L
xa xa

This means that the limit of f(x) as x approaches a is L

only when both the left and right limits also equal L.
 INFINITE LIMITS
Let f be a function defined on both sides
of a, except possibly at a itself. Then
lim f ( x)  
x a

means that the values of f (x) can be made

as positively large as we please by taking
values of x sufficiently close to a, but not equal to a.
Let f be a function defined on both sides
of a, except possibly at a itself. Then
lim f ( x)  
x a

means that the values of f (x) can be made

as negatively large as we please by taking
values of x sufficiently close to a, but not equal to a.
 VERTICAL ASYMPTOTES
Definition: The line x = a is called a vertical asymptote
of the curve y = f (x) if at least one of the following
statements is true:
lim f ( x)   lim f ( x)   lim f ( x)  
xa xa xa

lim f ( x)   lim f ( x)   lim f ( x)  

xa xa xa
 Does the Limit Exist?

lim f ( x)  2
x 0

lim f ( x)  1
x 3

lim f ( x)   lim f ( x)   lim f ( x) dne

x  1 x  1 x  1

lim f ( x)  2 lim f ( x)  1 lim f ( x) dne

x2 x2 x2