One-sided Limits

Mathematics 21

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman)

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 1 / 32

For today

1 One-sided Limits : Definition

2 One-sided Limits : Approaching 0 through positive or negative values

3 One-sided Limits: Piecewise function

4 One-sided Limits: Greatest integer function

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 2 / 32

One-sided Limits


3 − 5x2 , x < 1

4
Consider: f ( x ) =
4x − 3,

x≥1 3

1
As x → 1, the value of f ( x ) depends
on whether x < 1 or x > 1. −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3
0
−1

−2

−3

As x approaches 1 through values less than 1, f ( x ) approaches −2.

As x approaches 1 through values greater than 1, f ( x ) approaches 1.

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 4 / 32

One-sided Limits
√
Now, consider: g( x ) = x

( ( (( )) ) )
−2 −1 0 1 2 3
−1

Since there is no open interval I containing 0 such that g( x ) is defined on I , we

cannot let x approach 0 from both sides.

But we can say something about the values of g( x ) as x gets closer and closer to
0 from the right of 0.

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 5 / 32

One-sided Limits

Intuitive Definition
The

limit of f ( x ) as x approaches a from the left is L

if the values of f ( x ) get closer and closer to L as the values of x get closer and
closer to a, but are less than a.

Notation:
lim f ( x ) = L
x → a−

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 6 / 32

One-sided Limits

Intuitive Definition
The

limit of f ( x ) as x approaches a from the right is L

if the values of f ( x ) get closer and closer to L as the values of x get closer and
closer to a, but are greater than a

Notation:
lim f ( x ) = L
x → a+

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 7 / 32

Theorem
lim f ( x ) = L if and only if lim f ( x ) = lim f ( x ) = L
x→a x → a− x → a+

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 8 / 32

 
3 − 5x2 , x < 1

f (x) =
4x − 3,

x≥1

4
lim f ( x ) = lim (3 − 5x2 ) = −2
x →1− x →1−
3 lim f ( x ) = lim (4x − 3) = 1
x →1+ x →1+
2 lim f ( x ) dne
x →1
1

−4 −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3
−1

−2

−3

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 9 / 32

Examples
√
g( x ) = x

−2 −1 0 1 2 3
−1

Based on the graph,

√
lim x=0
x →0+
√
lim x dne
x →0−
√
lim x dne
x →0

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 10 / 32

Examples


3
1, x ≥ 0

Let H ( x ) = 2
0, x < 0

1
(The Heaviside Function)
−3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3

lim H ( x ) = lim 0 = 0
x →0− x →0−
lim H ( x ) = lim 1 = 1
x →0+ x →0+
lim H ( x ) dne
x →0
lim H ( x ) = lim 1 = 1
x →2 x →2

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 11 / 32

Recall
Let n be an even positive integer.
p
n
√
n
1 lim f ( x ) = L > 0 ⇒ lim f (x) = L
x→a x→a

p
n
2 lim f ( x ) = L < 0 ⇒ lim f ( x ) dne
x→a x→a

p
n
Question: lim f ( x ) = 0 ⇒ lim f ( x ) =?
x→a x→a

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 13 / 32

Consider: f ( x ) = 9 − x2

lim f ( x ) = 0 and lim f ( x ) = 0

x →−3 x →3

(−∞, −3) (−3, 3) (3, +∞)

(3 + x )(3 − x ) − + −

As x → −3− , f ( x ) → 0, passing through negative values as it approaches 0.

As x → −3+ , f ( x ) → 0, passing through positive values as it approaches 0.

As x → 3− , f ( x ) → 0, passing through positive values as it approaches 0.

As x → 3+ , f ( x ) → 0, passing through negative values as it approaches 0.

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 14 / 32

Approaching 0 through positive/negative values

Notation
Suppose lim f ( x ) = 0.
x→a

If f ( x ) approaches 0 through positive [negative] values,

we write
f ( x ) −→ 0+ [ f ( x ) −→ 0− ]

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 15 / 32

Consider: f ( x ) = 9 − x2

lim f ( x ) = 0 and lim f ( x ) = 0

x →−3 x →3

(−∞, −3) (−3, 3) (3, +∞)

(3 + x )(3 − x ) − + −

As x → −3− , f ( x ) → 0−

As x → −3+ , f ( x ) → 0+

As x → 3− , f ( x ) → 0+

As x → 3+ , f ( x ) → 0−

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 16 / 32

Example

Consider: f ( x ) = 2 − x.

As x → 2− , f ( x ) → 0+

As x → 2+ , f ( x ) → 0−

Consider: g( x ) = (2 − x )2 .

As x → 2, g ( x ) → 0+

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 17 / 32

Note
Let n be an even positive integer.

f ( x ) → 0+
p
n
1 If as x → a, ⇒ lim f (x) = 0
x→a

f ( x ) → 0−
p
n
2 If as x → a, ⇒ lim f ( x ) dne
x→a

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 18 / 32

Example

√
lim 2x2 + x − 1
x →−1−
p p  √
(−3)(0− )


= lim (2x − 1)( x + 1) 0+
x →−1−

=0
√
lim 2x2 + x − 1
x →−1+
p p  √
0−


= lim (2x − 1)( x + 1) (−3)(0+ )
x →−1+

dne
p
lim 2x2 + x − 1 dne
x →−1

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 19 / 32

Piecewise function

Example

x2 − x − 2
, x<0



 x+1



√
f (x) = 4 − x, 0≤x≤4 lim f ( x ) =?0

 x →4



 x2 − 5x + 4, x > 4


√ √
lim f ( x ) = lim 4−x = 0 0+
x →4− x →4−

lim f ( x ) = lim ( x2 − 5x + 4) = 0
x →4+ x →4+

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 21 / 32

Example


x2 − x − 2
, x<0



 x+1



√
f (x) = 4 − x, 0≤x≤4 lim f ( x ) =? − 3

 x →−1



 x2 − 5x + 4, x > 4


x2 − x − 2 ( x − 2)( x + 1)
lim f ( x ) = lim = lim = lim ( x − 2) = −3
x →−1 x →−1 x+1 x →−1 x+1 x →−1

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 22 / 32

Example

t+4
Evaluate lim .
t→−4 | t + 4|

Solution: 
t + 4,
 t + 4 ≥ 0t ≥ −4
| t + 4| =
−(t + 4), t + 4 < 0t < −4


t+4 t+4
lim = lim = lim (−1) = −1
t→−4− |t + 4| t→−4− −(t + 4) t→−4−
t+4 t+4
lim = lim = lim (1) = 1
t→−4+ |t + 4| t→−4+ (t + 4) t→−4+
t+4
∴ lim dne
t→−4 | t + 4|

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 23 / 32

The Greatest Integer Function

Recall
[[ x ]] = n for n ≤ x < n + 1, n ∈ Z

 ..

 . 1 lim [[ x ]] = lim −3 = −3
x →−2− x →−2−


−3, −3 ≤ x < −2




lim [[ x ]] = lim −2 = −2

 2

−2, −2 ≤ x < −1 x →−2+ x →−2+






[[ x ]] = −1, −1 ≤ x < 0 3 lim [[ x ]] = lim 0 = 0

 x → 12 x → 12

0, 0≤x<1







1, 1≤x<2




..



.

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 25 / 32

The Greatest Integer Function

f ( x ) = [[2x − 1]] = n for

n ≤ 2x − 1 < n + 1, n ∈ Z
n + 1 ≤ 2x < n + 2, n ∈ Z
n +1
2 ≤x< n +2
2 , n∈Z
1 lim [[2x − 1]] = lim −1 = −1
− −
x → 21 x → 12


..
2 lim [[2x − 1]] = lim 0 = 0
+ +
x → 21 x → 12



 .

1
−1, 0 ≤ x <


2 lim [[2x − 1]] = lim −1 = −1

 3

x → 14 x → 41


1
[[2x − 1]] = 0, 2 ≤x<1

3

1, 1≤x<




 2

..



 .

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 26 / 32

To evaluate limits involving [[ f ( x )]], one may do the following:
 
1 If lim / Z, replace [[ f ( x )]] by
f (x) ∈ lim f (x) .
x → a+/− x → a+/−

2 If lim f ( x ) = n ∈ Z,
x → a+/−

1 if f ( x ) → n+ as x → a+/− , replace [[ f ( x )]] by n .

2 if f ( x ) → n− as x → a+/− , replace [[ f ( x )]] by n − 1 .

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 27 / 32

Examples

− 5x .
 
1 Find lim
x →5+

Note that as x → 5+ , − 5x → − 1− . Thus,

− 5x
 
lim = lim (−1 − 1) = −2.
x →5+ x →5+

− 5x .
 
2 Find lim
x →5−

Note that as x → 5− , − 5x → − 1+ . Thus,

− 5x
 
lim = lim (−1) = −1.
x →5− x →5−

− 5x .
 
3 Find lim
x →−2+

Note that as x → −2+ , − 5x → 25 ∈

/ Z. Thus,
− 5x
   2 
lim = lim 5 = lim (0) = 0.
x →−2+ x →−2+ x →−2+

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 28 / 32

Examples

1 lim [[3x − 1]] = lim (−2) = −2 ([[(−2)+ ]])

+ +
x →− 13 x →− 13

2 lim [[3x − 1]] = lim (4) = 4 ([[(5)− ]])

x →2− x →2−

( 27 )
 
3 lim [[3x − 1]] = lim (3) = 3
x → 23 x → 32

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 29 / 32

Exercise 1

Find lim f ( x ) given:

x →1

1 − x2

, if x < 1,


f (x) = x−1
 √
1 − x + 8, if x ≥ 1.


Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 30 / 32

Exercise 2

x2 − 2x
Evaluate lim .
x →2+ [[ x ]] − x

Institute of Mathematics (UP Diliman) One-sided Limits Mathematics 21 31 / 32

Exercise 3
Sketch the graph of an example of a function f satisfying all of the following:

dom f = [−2, 2),

f (−2) = 2,
f (0) = 0,
lim f ( x ) = 1,
x →−2+
lim f ( x ) = 0,
x →0−
lim f ( x ) = 1,
x →0+
lim f ( x ) = −2.
x →2−

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