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Section 2.2

Limit Laws

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Key rules

  • Limit laws: the limit of a sum, difference, product, quotient (nonzero denominator limit) or power is the sum, difference, product, quotient or power of the limits, but only when those limits exist.
  • Polynomials and rational functions with a nonzero denominator: substitute directly.
  • If direct substitution gives 00\frac{0}{0} (indeterminate form), say so, then factor and cancel (difference of squares or cubes, trinomials) or multiply by the conjugate.
  • Trig limits: lim⁡x→0sin⁡(ax)x=a\lim_{x \to 0} \frac{\sin(ax)}{x} = a, lim⁡x→0tan⁡(ax)x=a\lim_{x \to 0} \frac{\tan(ax)}{x} = a, lim⁡x→01−cos⁡xx=0\lim_{x \to 0} \frac{1 - \cos x}{x} = 0, lim⁡x→01−cos⁡xx2=12\lim_{x \to 0} \frac{1 - \cos x}{x^2} = \frac{1}{2}.
  • Sandwich Theorem: if g(x)≤f(x)≤h(x)g(x) \le f(x) \le h(x) near aa and lim⁡g=lim⁡h=L\lim g = \lim h = L, then lim⁡f=L\lim f = L. Typical use: −1≤sin⁡(anything)≤1-1 \le \sin(\text{anything}) \le 1.

Visual guide

A curve with a hole at x = a. From the left and from the right the curve approaches the same height L, so the limit as x approaches a equals L.aLlimit = L
Direct substitution that gives 0/0 often means the graph has a hole. After you factor or use the conjugate and cancel, the limit is the height L of the hole.

Questions

123 total