Calculus 1

Section 1.2

Evaluating Finite Limits

One sided Limits

Not every function has a limit at every value. A common reason for this is that the function
approaches different values from different sides. For example, consider the function f (x) = x1 . Clearly,
f (0) is undefined, but is it possible to find the limit as x approaches 0?
1
lim
x0 x

It turns out this depends on where 0 is being approached from. As x approaches 0 from the right,
x becomes very small positive values and so f (x) gets very big and goes to positive . However, as x
approaches 0 from the left, x becomes negative values very close to zero, and since a positive number
divided by a negative number is negative, f (x) becomes very small and goes to . So what is the
limit of f (x) as x approaches 0? It turns out that this limit does not exist because the left and right
limit are not the same.

f(x)=1/x
f(x)

As x approaches 0 from the

right, f(x) tends to +

As x approaches 0 from the

left, f(x) tends to -

1
 Because the left and right limits may not be the same, there is notation to distinguish between
the two.
lim f (x)
xx0 +

lim f (x)
xx0

The first limit is called the limit from the right, or the right-hand limit. The second limit is
called the limit from the left, or the left-hand limit. If both limits are equal to a finite value, then the
normal limit is equal to the same finite value and exists. Also, if a limit exists, then both the right
and left-hand limits are equal to the limit.

lim f (x) = y0 = lim f (x) lim f (x) = y0

xx0 + xx0 xx0

Another case when left and right limits may not be equal is with piecewise functions.

Left and right hand limits do

not approach the same value

2
Requirements for a Limit To Exist

As previously mentioned, not every function will have a defined limit at every value. There are
two requirements for a limit to exist at a certain point. It is common notation if a limit does not exist
to write "DNE".
lim f (x) = DNE
xx0

1. The left and right limits must exist agree.

As previously discussed, the left and right hand limits at a point for a function must be equal
for a limit at that point for that function to exist. Additionally, if the two limits are equal, then
the limit will exist and be equal to both one-sided limits.

lim f (x) = y0 = lim f (x) lim f (x) = y0

xx0 + xx0 xx0

Sometimes, however, the left or right limit may not exist. This would be the case if a func-
tions domain excluded part of the real numbers. Approaching the endpoint of the interval on
which f (x) is defined would be impossible from one side. For example, consider the function
1
f (x) = ln(x) . f (0) = 0 and the limit from the right is 0, but ln(x) is not defined for x < 0
so f (x) is not defined for x < 0. Thus, it is impossible to approach 0 from the left and so the
left-hand limit does not exist. This means the left and right-hand limits cannot be equal, and so
the limit does not exist.

2. The limit must approach a single, finite value.

First, lets tackle the finite condition. A limit cannot continue to increase and increase, because
then its not approaching a value. Sometimes, one might say the limit is equal to , but infinity
is not a value. Since the limit would just continue to increase without approaching a particular
value, the limit would not exist.

As for the single condition, sometimes a function jumps back and forth between two finite values
as it approaches a point. This is called oscillation. A common example of a function that
oscillates is the compound function sin( x1 ). As x approaches 0, the inside of the function becomes
very far from 0 very quickly. As it does so, because sin(x) is periodic, it jumps back and forth
from its maximum to its minimum, 1 and 1 respectively. Thus, it is impossible to determine
what value the limit approaches as x goes to 0. Thus, the limit does not exist.
1
lim sin( ) = {1, 1} = DNE
x0 x

3
Evaluating Limits by Evaluating Functions

Sometimes the limit of a function at a value approaches the function evaluated at that value.
This is not always the case, but the first method for solving a limit should be trying to plug the value
the independent variable approaches into the function. That is, if the limit is:

lim f (x)
xx0

try to evaluate f (x0 ). If you are able to do so and f (x) is defined to the left and right of x0 , then for
most cases:
lim f (x0 )
xx0

For example, consider the limit below.

lim x2 1
x3

Notice that x2 1 can be evaluated at x = 3 without a problem. (3)2 1 = 91 = 8. Additionally,

2
x 1 is a polynomial and so is defined for all real values of x, including to the left and right of 3.
Thus, the limit is 8, the value of the function at x = 3.

lim x2 1 = 8
x3

Sometimes, f (x) may be defined at x0 but not to the left or right of x0 . For example, consider
the limit below.
lim x
x0

Clearly, the function is defined at x = 0; 0 = 0. However, the square root of a negative number is
not real, so the function is not defined to the left of 0. This means the left hand limit doesnt exist,
and so the limit cant exist.

Additionally, there are circumstances in which f (x) is defined at x0 and to the left and right of
x0 , but the limit is not equal to f (x0 ). A good example of this would be a piecewise function. For
example, consider the limit below.

(
x2 x < 0; 0 < x
f (x) =
4 x=0

lim f (x)
x0

Notice that f (0) = 4, but around x = 0, f (x) approaches 0. Remember that we dont care what
happens at x = 0, but around the x = 0. In such cases, it is necessary to analyze the function around
x = x0 . In this case, around x0 , f (x) is defined to be x2 . Thus, we evaluate this function at x = 0.
(0)2 = 0, so
lim f (x) = 0
x0

4
Evaluating Limits For Functions Undefined at a Point

Sometimes, it is impossible to evaluate f (x) at a point x0 because f (x) is undefined for x = x0 .

For example, consider the limit below.
x2
lim
x2 x2 4

It is impossible to evaluate the function at x = 2 because (2)2 4 = 0, and dividing by 0 s

undefined. However, we dont care about what happens at x = 2. Since we are only considering values
around x = 2, we can factor out and divide terms as if x 6= 2.

x2 (x 2) 1 1
lim 2
= lim = lim =
x2 x 4 x2 (x + 2)(x 2) x2 x+2 4

If canceling x 2 feels incorrect because x 2 = 0 for x = 2, just remember that a limit at a

point is not actually concerned with what happens at that point. Thus, x 2 6= 0. Once the function
is rewritten in a form that can be evaluated at x = 2, it is fine to plug in x = 2, because that is the
value x is approaching.

Sometimes the limit will still not be defined after the function has been rewritten. For example,
consider the similar limit below.

x+2 (x + 2) 1
lim 2
= lim = lim = UNDEFINED
x2 x 4 x2 (x + 2)(x 2) x2 x 2

The function has been written in its simplest form and is still not defined when x = 2. Thus,
1
this means the limit is most likely not defined. In fact, x2 is the function x1 shifted to the right two
units, and so the function goes to from the left and from the right of 2. Thus, the limit does
not exist at x = 2.

5
Examples

Here are a few examples to test the concepts provided in this section. Answers can be found on
the following pages.

1. Does the following limit exist? Why or why not?

1
lim ( )2
x0 x

2. Evaluate the following one-sided limit.

lim+ x3
x3

3. Evaluate the following limit.

(
ex x < 1; 1 < x
f (x) =
10 x = 1

lim f (x)
x1

4. Evaluate the following limit.

2x 4
lim
x2 6x2 8x 8

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Solutions

These are the solutions to the questions on the previous page

1. As x gets close to 0, the function continues to increase and increase from both sides without
approaching a specific value. One could say the value of the limit is , but the limit does not
mathematically exist.

2. The normal limit of this function at x = 3 does not exist because the function is not defined to
the left of 3. However, it is defined to the right of 3, and one can evaluate the right-hand limit
simply by plugging in x = 3 into the function, since the function approaches this value from the
right as a radical function.
lim x 3 = 3 3 = 0
x3+

3. Although f (1) = 10, around x = 1 the function is defined by f (x) = ex . Since the limit only
cares about what happens infinitely close to the point, and not at the actual point, we evaluate
the limit by taking e1 = e. Thus:
lim f (x) = e
x1

4. Note that one cannot simply plug 2 into the function because 6(2)2 8(2) 8 = 24 16 8 = 0,
and dividing by 0 is undefined. To evaluate the limit, factor the denominator and cancel with
the numerator if possible.

2x 4 (2x 4) 1 1
lim = lim = lim =
x2 6x2 8x 8 x2 (2x 4)(3x + 2) x2 (3x + 2) 8

We can cancel by 2x 4 because we care about what happens around x = 2, not at x = 2. We

can plug in for x = 2 on the last step, however, because we want to get infinitely close to x = 2
and the function will approach this value at x approaches 2.