MAT042-Lecture Notes

February 8, 2024

1 Infinite Limits
Let f be a function which is defined at every number in some open interval I
containing a except possibly at the number a itself. We say that f (x) approaches
positive infinity as x approaches a, and write

lim f (x) = +∞,

x→ a

if for every positive real number M , there exists a corresponding δ > 0 such
that f (x) > M whenever 0 < |x − a| < δ .
In other words, f approaches positive infinity as x approaches a if the values
of f grow without bound eventually reaching and surpassing every positive real
number M .
Let f be a function which is defined at every number in some open interval I
containing a except possibly at the number a itself. We say that f (x) approaches
negative infinity as x approaches a, and write

lim f (x) = −∞,

x→ a

if for every negative real number −B, there exists a corresponding δ > 0 such
that f (x) < −B whenever 0 < |x − a| < δ .
In other words, f approaches negative infinity as x approaches a if the values
of f become arbitrarily large and negative.
Whenever we say that a function has infinite limit as x approaches a, and
write lim f (x) = ∞, we do not really mean that the limit of f exists at x = a.
x→ a
Nor do we say that there is a real number ∞, for there is no such number.
Rather,what we mean is that the limit of f does not exists at x = a because f
becomes arbitrarily large and positive (or large and negative) as x approaches
a.
Remark. If lim+ f (x) = +∞ and lim− f (x) = −∞, then we write
x→ a x→ a

lim f (x) = ∞.
x→ a

1
Example 1. Let f (x) = . Find lim f (x), if it exists.
x−2 x→ 2

1
 1 1
Solution. The graph of y = is the graph of y = shifted 2 units to
x−2 x
1 1
the right. Therefore, y = behaves near 2 in exactly the same way y =
x−2 x
behave near 0. We have
1 1
lim = +∞, and lim = −∞.
x→ 2+ x−2 x→ 2− x−2
Therefore, we write
1
lim = ∞.
x→ 2 x−2
Theorem 1.1
If r is a positive integer, then
1
a. lim+ = +∞
x→0 xr

1 −∞, if r is odd
b. lim− r =
x→0 x +∞, if r is even

Theorem 1.2 If a ∈ R, lim g(x) = 0 and lim f (x) = c, where c is a constant

x→a x→a
not equal to zero, then
i. if c > 0 and if g(x) → 0 through positive values of g(x), then

f (x)
lim = +∞
x→a g(x)

ii. if c > 0 and if g(x) → 0 through negative values of g(x), then

f (x)
lim = −∞
x→a g(x)

iii. if c < 0 and if g(x) → 0 through positive values of g(x), then

f (x)
lim = −∞
x→a g(x)

iv. if c < 0 and if g(x) → 0 through negative values of g(x), then

f (x)
lim = +∞
x→a g(x)

For convenience, we will use the following notations:

If h(x) approaches 0 through positive values as x → a, we write

lim h(x) = 0+ .
x→a

2
If h(x) approaches 0 through negative values as x → a, we write

lim h(x) = 0− .
x→a

Thus, the limits in Theorem 1.2 can be viewed as follows:

c
For c > 0, → +∞.
0+
c
For c > 0, → −∞.
0−
c
For c < 0, → −∞.
0+
c
For c < 0, → +∞.
0−
Theorem 1.3
i. If lim f (x) = +∞ and lim g(x) = c, where c is a real number , then
x→a x→a

lim [f (x) + g(x)] = +∞.

x→a

ii. If lim f (x) = −∞ and lim g(x) = c, where c is a real number , then
x→a x→a

lim [f (x) + g(x)] = −∞.

x→a

Theorem 1.4 If lim f (x) = +∞ and lim g(x) = c, where c is a nonzero real
x→a x→a
number , then
i. if c > 0, the lim [f (x) · g(x)] = +∞
x→a

ii. if c < 0, the lim [f (x) · g(x)] = −∞

x→a

Theorem 1.5 If lim f (x) = −∞ and lim g(x) = c, where c is a nonzero real
x→a x→a
number , then

i. if c > 0, the lim [f (x) · g(x)] = −∞

x→a

ii. if c < 0, the lim [f (x) · g(x)] = +∞

x→a

Example 2.
Find the limits of the following.
x
1. lim +
x→−4 x+4
x −4
Solution. lim = + = −∞.
x→−4+ x+4 0

3
 x
2. lim
x→−4− x+4
x −4
Solution. lim − = − = +∞.
x→−4 x+4 0
 
2x
3. lim− + 5x
x→1 x2 − 1  
2x 2
Solution. lim− + 5x = − + 5 = −∞ + 5 = −∞.
x→1 x2 − 1 0
Exercise. Find the limits of the following.
5x2
1. lim −
x→−3 x+3
x2 − 3x
2. lim+ √
x→1 x−1
 
x x−1
3. lim + ·
x→−1 x + 4 x2 − 1
 
2x
4. lim + 5x
x→1− x2 − 1
   
x−3 2+x
5. lim ·
x→−3+ 3+x x2 − 4
   
x−3 2+x
6. lim +
x→2− 3−x x2 − 4

ASSESSMENT TEST

NAME: SIGNATURE:
SECTION: DATE:
SCORE:

Evaluate each limit:

9 − x2
1. lim+ √
x→3 3x − 3
9 − x2
 
−3
2. lim+ √ + 5
x→0 3x − 3 x
 
9 2x
3. lim− 7 ·
x→0 x 2x − 3

4
2 Limits at Infinity
Definition. Let f be function which is defined at every number in some open
interval (a, +∞). We say that f (x) has the limit L as x increases without bound
and write
lim f (x) = L
x→∞

if, for every number ϵ > 0, there exists a corresponding number N > 0 such
that for all x,
|f (x) − L| < ϵ whenever x > N.
Definition. Let f be function which is defined at every number in some open
interval (−∞, a). We say that f (x) has the limit L as x decreases without bound
and write
lim f (x) = L
x→−∞

if, for every number ϵ > 0, there exists a corresponding number N < 0 such
that for all x
|f (x) − L| < ϵ whenever x < N.
Remark. If, as x both increases and decreases, f (x) approaches L, that is,

lim f (x) = L = lim f (x),

x→−∞ x→+∞

we write
lim f (x) = L.
x→∞

Theorem. If r is a positive integer, then

1
a. lim = 0,
x→+∞ xr
1
b. lim = 0, and
x→−∞ xr
1
c. lim = 0.
x→∞ xr

Examples. Evaluate the following limits.

3x2 − x
1. lim
x→∞ 5x2 + 4x

Solution. Direct substitution yields +∞

+∞ , which is an indeterminate form. Di-
vide the numerator and the denominator by dominant literal coefficient x2 (i.e.
the term with the highest degree). Then

3x2 x 1
2
3x − x − 2 3−
lim = lim x2 x = lim x = 3−0 = 3 .
2
x→∞ 5x + 4x x→∞ 5x 2
4x x→∞ 4 5+0 5
+ 2 5+
x2 x x

5
 5x3
2. lim
x→∞ x + 3
∞
Solution. Again, direct substitution yields . Hence, we employ the same
∞
method. Dividing the numerator and the denominator by x3 , we get

5x3
5x3 x3 5 5
lim = lim = lim =
x→∞ x + 3 x→∞ x 3 x→∞ 1 3 0+0
3
+ 3 2
+ 3
x x x x
5
=
0
= ∞.

3x + 4
3. lim √
x→−∞ 5x2 − 2
Solution. Again, direct substitution yields an indeterminate expression. √
Hence,
we divide the numerator and denominator by the dominant expression x2 =
|x|. Also, since x → −∞, by definition |x| = −x. Thus,
1
(3x + 4) ·
3x + 4 |x|
lim √ = lim
x→−∞ 5x2 − 2 x→−∞ √5x2 − 2 · 1
|x|
1
(3x + 4) ·
= lim √ −x
x→−∞ 1
5x − 2 · √
2
x2

4
−3 −
= lim r x
x→−∞ 2
5− 2
x
−3 − 0
= √
5−0

−3
= √ .
5
√
3
4x3 + 3x
4. lim
x→−∞ 2x + 3
−∞
Solution. Again, direct substitution yields . Then we divide the numerator
−∞

6
 √
3
and denominator by the dominant term which is x3 = x and we have

√ √
3 1
3
4x3 + 3x 4x3 + 3x ·
lim = lim x
x→−∞ 2x + 3 x→−∞ 1
(2x + 3) ·
x
√
3 1
4x3 + 3x · √3
= lim x3
x→−∞ 1
(2x + 3) ·
x

r
3 3
4+
x2
= lim
x→−∞ 3
2+
x
√
3
4
= .
2

In the next examples, exponential and logarithmic functions with base e are be-
ing considered. We recall some of the properties of these functions.

Let a be any real number greater than 0 and a ̸= 1.

1. y = loga x if and only if ay = x.

2. The domain of y = loga x is the set {x : x > 0}.

3. The image of y = loga x is the set {y : y ∈ R} = R.

4. y = loge x = ln x is a natural logarithmic function or the ”el-en” func-

tion.

5. The inverse of the function y = ex is the function y = ln x.

6. The domain of y = ex is the set R.

7. The image of y = ex x is the set {y : y > 0}.

8. ln e = 1 and since e0 = 1, ln 1 = 0.

7
 9. y = log10 x = log x is a common logarithmic function.

Example 5. Determine lim ex .

x→0

Solution. By direct substitution

lim ex = e0 = 1 .
x→0

Example 6. Consider the following tables of values of f (x) = ex .

The values of f (x) = ex as x approaches +∞:

x 1 10 100 1000
f (x) 2.718 22, 026.465 = 2.2026 × 104 2.688 × 1043 1.970 × 10434

The values of f (x) = ex as x approaches −∞:

x −1 −10 −100 −1000

f (x) 0.367 0.00004539 = 4.539 × 10−5 3.720 × 10−44 5.075 × 10−435

Based from the tables above, we see that

lim ex = +∞ , while lim ex = 0 .

x→+∞ x→−∞

The same conclusion can be also drawn from the graph of the exponential
function f (x) = ex .

Exercises: Evaluate the following limits:

 
1
1. lim 2x − 2
x→∞ x
2x − 1
2. lim
x→∞ 2 − 3x − 2x2
2x2 − 5x + 3
3. lim
x→∞ 2 − 3x − 2x2

2x − 1
4. lim
x→∞ 2 − 3x − 2x2
x4 − 16
5. lim
x→+∞ 3x4 + 16

ASSESSMENT TEST

8
NAME: SIGNATURE:
SECTION: DATE:
SCORE:

Evaluate each limit:

5−x
1. lim √
4
x→−∞ 3x4 − 1 − 3
2x 3x
2. lim +
x→−∞ x−1 x+1
−4 − 2x + 3x2 − 5x3
3. lim
x→−∞ 2x3 − 1