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Managerial Math: Limits of Functions

The document discusses calculating limits of functions. It provides examples of using tables, graphs and algebraic methods to estimate or find limits. It includes 20 practice problems calculating various one-sided, two-sided and infinite limits. The final questions calculate the theoretical maximum efficiency of a power plant as the temperature of the cold reservoir approaches zero or the hot reservoir temperature.

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15 views3 pages

Managerial Math: Limits of Functions

The document discusses calculating limits of functions. It provides examples of using tables, graphs and algebraic methods to estimate or find limits. It includes 20 practice problems calculating various one-sided, two-sided and infinite limits. The final questions calculate the theoretical maximum efficiency of a power plant as the temperature of the cold reservoir approaches zero or the hot reservoir temperature.

Uploaded by

hanis
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

QQM1023 Managerial Mathematics

TUTORIAL 5 :Limits of a Function

1. In problem a – b, use your calculator to complete the table, and use your
results to estimate the given limit.
ex 1
a) lim
x 0 x
x -0.1 -0.01 -0.001 0.001 0.01 0.1
f(x)

x2  4
b) lim
h  2 x2
x -2.1 -2.01 -2.001 -1.999 -1.99 -1.9
f(x)

2. In problem below, use the graph of f to estimate each limits if it exists.


i) a) lim f ( x) b) lim f ( x ) c) lim f ( x )
x  1 x 1 x 2

3 f(x)

y =1

x
-1 1 2

ii) a) lim f ( x ) b) lim f ( x) c) lim f ( x)


x  1 x 0 x 1

f(x)
1

-1 1 x
-1

1
lim f ( x) lim f ( x)
iii) a) x 1
b) x 1
c) lim f ( x )
x1

lim f ( x) lim f ( x) lim f ( x )


d) x  2
e) x   2
f) x 2

lim f ( x) lim f ( x) lim f ( x)


g) x  1
h) x 1
i) x  1

j) lim f ( x ) k) lim f ( x)
x  x  

f(x)

x
-2 -1 1

3. In problem below, find the limits. If the limit does not exist, so state that.
a) lim 16
b) lim (t 2  5) c) lim p2  p  5
x 100 t  5 p 4

x 1 x 2  2x x 2  9 x  20
d) lim e) lim f) lim
x 1 x  1 x 0 x x 4 x 2  3x  4
t2  4 h 1 lim ( x  2)
g) lim h) lim i)
t 2 t  2 h  1 h 4 1 x3

lim 5 x 6x 7
j) x   k) lim 4 l) lim
x 0  x x  2x x
2
2x  4 2 w  3w  4 x2 1
m) lim n) lim o) lim
x  3  2 x w 5w 2  7 w  1 x   x3  4x  3
5t 2  2t  1  1 
p) lim q) lim 1 
t  4t  7 x1  x  1
lim f ( x) , lim f ( x) , lim f ( x) 2 x  2
r) x  2 x  2 x 2 if
f ( x)  
1 x  2

s) Refer problem (r), xlim



f ( x) , lim f ( x)
x  

4. The maximum theoretical efficiency of a power plant is given by


T  Tc
E h
Th

where Th and Tc are the respective absolute temperatures of the hotter and
colder reservoirs. Find;

2
a) lim E b) lim E
Tc  0 Tc  Th

Answers: Limits of a function

ex 1 x2  4
1. a) lim =1 b) lim =-4
x 0 x h  2 x2

2. i) a) 1 b) not exist c) 3
ii) a) – 1 b) not exist c) 1
iii) a) 2 b) 3 c) not exist
d)   e)   f) 
g) 1 h) 1 i) 1
j)   k) 0

3. a) 16 b) 20 c) 5
d) 1 e) -2 f) -1/5
g) 4 h) -1/4 i) 1
j) - k) - l) 0
m) -1 n) 2/5 o) 0
p)  q) 
r) lim f ( x)  1 , lim f ( x)  2 , lim f ( x) not exist
x2  x  2 x2

s) lim f ( x)  1, lim f ( x)  2
x  x  

4. a) 1 b) 0

Common questions

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Theoretical efficiency of a power plant depends on the temperature difference between hot and cold reservoirs, as a larger temperature difference increases potential energy conversion. As the cold reservoir temperature approaches zero, the efficiency approaches 1, indicating maximum theoretical efficiency due to an infinite temperature gradient .

Removable discontinuity occurs when a limit exists at a point where the function itself is not defined. This can often be identified graphically if there's a hole in the graph at that point while the surrounding points trend towards a particular y-value, suggesting a removable discontinuity .

Limits are used in the formula E = (Th - Tc) / Th to evaluate efficiency. By taking the limit as Tc approaches zero, the efficiency approaches 1. Similarly, by evaluating limits for various temperature ratios, we can ascertain theoretical efficiencies under different conditions .

The estimator table can be used by inputting values of x that are increasingly closer to the target value and observing how the function's values behave. If f(x) approaches a fixed number, that number is the limit as x approaches the target value. For example, x approaching 0 in x/e^x results in observing values like -0.1, -0.01, to approximate the limit, which is found to be 1 .

For rational functions, if the degree of the numerator is less than the degree of the denominator, the limit as x approaches infinity is zero. This occurs because the terms in the denominator grow faster than those in the numerator, leading the overall value towards zero .

Graphical representation shows the behavior of a function as it approaches a specific point. By examining the function values from the left and right sides of the graph, one can estimate the limit. If the y-values tend towards a specific value, that is the estimated limit. Discrepancies in left and right values indicate no limit exists .

A two-sided limit exists if and only if the left-sided and right-sided limits both exist and are equal. Graphs can help confirm this by visually showing whether the approach from both sides of a point on the function leads to the same y-value, providing proof of the limit's presence and equality .

The existence of a limit at a point requires that both the right-hand limit and the left-hand limit at that point are equal. If they differ or either does not exist, the overall limit at that point does not exist. For example, approaching x=1 from left or right for some functions gives different values or may not exist, indicating no single limit exists at that point .

Substitution involves directly replacing the variable with the limit point value. It works if the function is continuous at that point. However, it fails at points of discontinuity or indeterminate forms, requiring further algebraic manipulation or limit laws to resolve .

Infinite limits occur when function values increase without bound as x approaches a specific point or infinity. They are determined algebraically by analyzing the dominant terms in a function, such as dividing by terms which approach zero or raise quadratic terms which grow indefinitely as x increases or decreases .

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