BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY

College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

Module 2: LIMITS

The notion of a limit is a fundamental concept of calculus. In this module, you

will learn the properties of limits and how to evaluate it.

Definition of Limit

If f(x) becomes arbitrarily close to a unique number L as x approaches c from either

side, then the limit of f(x) as x approaches c is L. This is written as:

lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿
𝑥→𝑐

Estimating a Limit Numerically

Use a table to estimate the limit numerically.

lim (3𝑥 − 2)
𝑥→2

Solution:

Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 − 2. Then, construct a table that shows

values of f(x) for two sets of x-values – one set that
approaches 2 from the left and one that approaches
2 from the right.

𝑥 1.9 1.99 1.999 2 2.001 2.01 2.1

𝑓(𝑥) 3.700 3.970 3.997 ? 4.003 4.030 4.300

From the table, it appears that the closer x gets to 2, the closer 𝑓(𝑥) gets to 4. So, you
can estimate the limit to be 4. The given figure adds support to this conclusion.

Estimating a Limit Numerically

Use a table to estimate the limit numerically.

𝑥
lim
𝑥→2 √𝑥 + 1 −1

Solution:

Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥/(√𝑥 + 1 − 1). Then, construct a table that shows values of f(x) for two sets
of x-values- one set that approaches 0 from the left and one that approaches 0 from
the right.

MODULE 2: Limits
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Calculus 1 [CALC001]

𝑥 -0.01 -0.001 -0.0001 0 0.0001 0.001 0.01

𝑓(𝑥) 1.99499 1.99949 1.99995 ? 2.00005 2.00050 2.00499

From the table, it appears that the limit is 2. The limit is reinforced by the graph shown.

Note that 𝑓(𝑥) has a limit as 𝑥 → 0 even though the function is not defined at 𝑥 = 0.
This often happens, and it is important to realize that the existence or non-existence
of 𝑓(𝑥) at x = c has no bearing on the existence of the limit of f(x) as x approaches c.

Using a Graph to Find a Limit

Find the limit of 𝑓(𝑥) as x approaches 3, where f is defined as:

2, 𝑥≠3
𝑓(𝑥) = {
0, 𝑥=3

Solution:

Because, 𝑓(𝑥) = 2 for all x other than x =3 and because the value of f(3) is immaterial,
it follows that the limit is 2. So, you can write:

lim 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→3

The fact that 𝑓(3) = 0 has no bearing on the existence or value of the limit as x
approaches 3. For instance, if the function were defined as:

2, 𝑥≠3
𝑓(𝑥) = {
4, 𝑥=3

Then, the limit as x approaches 3 would be the same.

MODULE 2: Limits
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 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

Definition of One-Sided Limits

We write

lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿
𝑥→𝑎−

And say that the left-hand limit of f(x) as x approaches a [or the limit of f(x) as x
approaches a from the left] is equal to L if we can make the values of f(x) arbitrarily
close to L by taking x to be sufficiently close to a with x less than a.

Notice that Definition 2 differs from Definition 1 only in that we require x to be less
than a. Similarly, if we require that x be greater than a, we get the “right-hand limit
of 𝑓(𝑥) as x approaches a is equal to L” and we write

lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿
𝑥→𝑎+

Thus, the notation 𝑥 → 𝑎+ means that we consider only x greater than a. These
definitions are illustrated below:

By comparing Definition 1 with the definitions of one-sided limits, we see that

the following is true.

MODULE 2: Limits
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 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
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Calculus 1 [CALC001]

Example: The graph of a function g is shown, use it to state the values (if they exist) of
the following:

a. lim− 𝑔(𝑥) b. lim+ 𝑔(𝑥) c. lim 𝑔(𝑥)

𝑥→2 𝑥→2 𝑥→2

d. lim− 𝑔(𝑥) e. lim+ 𝑔(𝑥) f. lim 𝑔(𝑥)

𝑥→5 𝑥→5 𝑥→5

Solution: From the graph, we see that the values of 𝑔(𝑥) approach 3 as x approaches
2 from the left, but they approach 1 as x approaches 2 from the right. Therefore,

a. lim− 𝑔(𝑥) = 3 and b. lim+ 𝑔(𝑥) = 1

𝑥→2 𝑥→2
(c) Since the left and right limits are different, we conclude that lim 𝑔(𝑥) does not exist.
𝑥→2
The graph also shows that:

d. lim− 𝑔(𝑥) = 2 and e. lim+ 𝑔(𝑥) = 2

𝑥→5 𝑥→5

f) The left and right limits are the same and so, we have:

lim 𝑔(𝑥) = 2
𝑥→5

MODULE 2: Limits
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 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

INFINITE LIMITS
𝟏
Example: Find 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒙𝟐 if it exists.
𝒙→𝟎

Solution: Looking at the table, as x becomes close to 0,

𝑥 2 also becomes close to 0, and 1/𝑥 2 becomes very
large. In fact, it appears from the graph of the function
1
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 shown in the figure and that the values of 𝑓(𝑥)
can be made arbitrarily large by taking x close enough
to 0. Thus, the values of 𝑓(𝑥) do not approach a number
1
so, lim 𝑥 2 does not exist.
𝑥→0

To indicate the kind of behavior exhibited in the

given example, we use the notation:

𝟏
𝐥𝐢𝐦 =∞
𝒙→𝟎 𝒙𝟐

Note: This does not mean that we are regarding ∞

as a number. Nor does it mean that the limit exists.
It simply expresses the particular way in which the
𝟏
limit does not exist: 𝒙𝟐 can be made as large as we like by taking x close enough to
0.

In general, we write symbolically:

lim 𝑓(𝑥) = ∞
𝑥→𝑎

To indicate that the values of 𝑓(𝑥) tend to become larger and larger (or “increase
without bound”) as x becomes closer and closer to a.

Definition of an Infinite Limit Let f be a function defined on both sides of a, except

possibly at a itself. Then,

lim 𝑓(𝑥) = ∞
𝑥→𝑎

means that the values of 𝑓(𝑥) can be made arbitrarily large (as large as we
please) by taking x sufficiently close to a, but not equal to a.

MODULE 2: Limits
5|PAGE
 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

Again, the symbol ∞ is NOT a number, but the expression lim 𝑓(𝑥) = ∞ is often read
𝑥→𝑎
as:

“the limit of 𝑓(𝑥), ax x approaches a, is infinity” or

“𝑓(𝑥) becomes infinite as x approaches a” or

“𝑓(𝑥) increases without bound as x approaches a”

This definition is illustrated graphically.

As similar sort of limit, for functions that become large negative as x gets closer to a,
is defined below, and is illustrated:

Definition Let f be a function defined on both sides of a, except possibly at a

itself. Then

lim 𝑓(𝑥) = −∞
𝑥→𝑎

means that the values of 𝑓(𝑥) can be made arbitrarily large negative by taking x
sufficiently close to a, but not equal to a.

The symbol lim 𝑓(𝑥) = −∞ can be read as “the limit of 𝑓(𝑥), as x approaches a, is
𝑥→𝑎
negative infinity” or “𝑓(𝑥) decreases without bound as x approaches a”. As an
example, we have,

1
lim (− ) = −∞
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥2

MODULE 2: Limits
6|PAGE
 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

Similar definitions can be given for the one-sided limits:

lim 𝑓(𝑥) = ∞ lim 𝑓(𝑥) = ∞

𝑥→𝑎− 𝑥→𝑎+

lim 𝑓(𝑥) = −∞ lim 𝑓(𝑥) = −∞

𝑥→𝑎− 𝑥→𝑎+

remembering that 𝑥 → 𝑎− means that we consider only values of x that are less than
a, and similarly 𝑥 → 𝑎+ means that we consider only x>a. Illustrations of these four
cases are given below:

MODULE 2: Limits
7|PAGE
 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

CALCULATING LIMITS USING THE LIMIT LAWS

In this section, we use the following properties of limits, called Limits Laws, to calculate
limits.

These five laws can be stated verbally as follows:

1. The limit of a sum is the sum of the limits. (Sum Law)

2. The limit of a difference is the difference of the limits. (Difference Law)
3. The limit of a constant times a function is the constant times the limit of the
function. (Constant Multiple Law)
4. The limit of a product is the product of the limits. (Product Law)
5. The limit of a quotient is the quotient of the limits (provided that the limit of the
denominator is not 0). (Quotient Law)

Power Law

In applying these six limit laws, we need to use two special limits:

MODULE 2: Limits
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 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

If we now put 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 in Law 6 and use Law 8, we get another useful special limit.

A similar limit holds for roots as follows.

More generally, we have the following law called the Root Law.

Example: Evaluate the following limits and justify each step.

a. lim 2𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 4
𝑥→5

Solution:

MODULE 2: Limits
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 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

𝑥 3 +2𝑥 2 −1
b. lim
𝑥→5 5 − 3𝑥

Solution:

Direct Substitution Property If f is a polynomial or a rational function and a is in

the domain of f, then

lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑎)

𝑥→𝑎

Functions with the direct substitution property are called continuous at a. However,
NOT all limits can be evaluated by direct substitution, as the following examples show.

𝑥2 − 1
Example: Find lim .
𝑥→1 𝑥 −1

𝑥2 − 1
Solution: Let 𝑓(𝑥) = . We can’t find the limit by substitute 𝑥 = 1 because 𝑓(1) is not
𝑥 −1
defined. Nor can we apply the Quotient Law, because the limit of the denominator is
0. Instead, we need to do some preliminary algebra. We factor the numerator as a
difference of squares:

𝑥2 − 1 (𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 + 1)
=
𝑥 −1 𝑥 −1

The numerator and denominator have a common factor of x -1. When we take the
limit as x approaches 1, we have 𝑥 ≠ 1 and so 𝑥 − 1 ≠ 0. Therefore, we can cancel
the common factor and then compute the limit by direct substitution as follows:

MODULE 2: Limits
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 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
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Calculus 1 [CALC001]

𝑥2 − 1 (𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 + 1)
lim = lim
𝑥→1 𝑥 − 1 𝑥→1 𝑥 −1

= lim (𝑥 + 1)
𝑥→1

= 1 + 1=2

Example:

(3 + ℎ)2 − 9
Evaluate lim
ℎ→0 ℎ

Solution: If we define

(3 + ℎ)2 − 9
𝐹(ℎ) =
ℎ
Then, we cannot compute lim 𝐹(ℎ) by letting h=0 since 𝐹(0) is undefined. But if we
ℎ→0
simplify 𝐹(ℎ) algebraically, we find that

2 2
(9 + 6ℎ + ℎ ) − 9 6ℎ + ℎ ℎ(6 + ℎ)
𝐹(ℎ) = = = =6+ℎ
ℎ ℎ ℎ
(Recall that we consider only ℎ ≠ 0 when letting h approach 0.) Thus,

(3 + ℎ)2 − 9
lim = lim (6 + ℎ) = 6
ℎ→0 ℎ ℎ→0

MODULE 2: Limits
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 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

Example:

√𝑡 2 +9 −3
Find the lim .
𝑡→0 𝑡2

Solution: We cannot apply the Quotient Law immediately, since the limit of the
denominator is 0. Here the preliminary algebra consists of rationalizing the numerator:

MODULE 2: Limits
12 | P A G E
 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

FINDING LIMITS AT INFINITY

1 1
Find lim and lim 𝑥.
𝑥→∞ 𝑥 𝑥→−∞

Observe that when x is large, 1/x is small. For

instance,

1 1 1
= 0.01 = 0.0001
100 10,000 1,000,000
= 0.000001

In fact, by taking x large enough, we can make

1/x as close to 0 as we please. Therefore, we
have:

1
lim =0
𝑥→∞ 𝑥

Similar reasoning shows that when x is large negative, 1/x is small negative, so we
also have:

1
lim =0
𝑥→−∞ 𝑥

Theorem If r > 0 is a rational number, then

1
lim = 0
𝑥→∞ 𝑥 𝑟

If r>0 is a rational number such that 𝑥 𝑟 is defined for all x, then

1
lim = 0
𝑥→−∞ 𝑥 𝑟

MODULE 2: Limits
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 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
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Calculus 1 [CALC001]

Example:

3𝑥 2 − 𝑥 −2
Evaluate lim .
𝑥→∞ 5𝑥 2 +4𝑥+1

Solution:

As x becomes large, both numerator and denominator become large, so it is

not obvious what happens to their ratio. We need to do some preliminary
algebra. To evaluate the limit at infinity of any rational function, we first divide
both the numerator and denominator by the highest power of x that occurs in
the denominator. (We may assume that 𝑥 ≠ 0, since we are interested only in
large values of x.) In this case the highest power of x in the denominator is 𝑥 2 , so
we have:

MODULE 2: Limits
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 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

Example: Find lim 𝑥 3 𝑎𝑛𝑑 lim 𝑥 3

𝑥→∞ 𝑥→−∞

Solution:

When x becomes large, 𝑥 3 also becomes large. For instance,

103 = 1000 1003 = 1,000,000 10003 = 1,000,000,000

In fact, we can make 𝑥 3 as big as we like by requiring x to be large enough.

Therefore, we can write:

lim 𝑥 3 = ∞
𝑥→∞

Similarly, when x is large negative, so is 𝑥 3 . Thus,

lim 𝑥 3 = −∞
𝑥→−∞

Example: Find lim (𝑥 2 − 𝑥).

𝑥→∞

Solution: It would be WRONG to write

lim (𝑥 2 − 𝑥) = lim 𝑥 2 − lim 𝑥 = ∞ − ∞

𝑥→∞ 𝑥→∞ 𝑥→∞

The limit laws cannot be applied to infinite limits because ∞ is not a number

(∞ − ∞ 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅). However, we can write:

𝐥𝐢𝐦 (𝒙𝟐 − 𝒙) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒙(𝒙 − 𝟏) = ∞

𝒙→∞ 𝒙→∞

Because both x and x-1 become arbitrarily large and so their product does too.

MODULE 2: Limits
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 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

𝑥2 + 𝑥
Example: Find lim .
𝑥→∞ 3 − 𝑥

Solution: We divide the numerator and denominator by the highest power of x in the
denominator, which is x.

So:

Reference:

1. Stewart, J. (2013). Calculus. Cengage Learning.

Prepared by: Engr. Axel M. Gayondato, LPT

MODULE 2: Limits
16 | P A G E
 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

PART 2: SUPPLEMENTARY RESOURCES

❖ You may want to visit the following YouTube videos to supplement your
learnings:

YouTube Video Title YouTube Video URL

[Link]
Introduction to Limits (NancyPi) h?v=poBobcFn1Co

[Link]
How to Find Any Limit (NancyPi)
h?v=nJZm-zp639s
How to Find Any Limit: Part 2 [Link]
(NancyPi) h?v=v9fQ_QeCHpI

How to Find the Limit at Infinity [Link]

(NancyPi) h?v=nViVR1rImUE

MODULE 2: Limits
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 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

TRY THESE!

Part 1 Finding LIMITS

MODULE 2: Limits
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 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

Part 2 Finding LIMITS

MODULE 2: Limits
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 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

Part 3 LIMITS AT INFINITY

MODULE 2: Limits
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 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

Answer Keys:

Part 1

MODULE 2: Limits
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 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering
Calculus 1 [CALC001]

Part 2

Part 3

MODULE 2: Limits
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