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TOPIC: LIMITS AND DERIVATIVES

Let f be a function defined in a domain which we take to be an interval, say, I. We shall study the concept of limit
of f at a point a in I.
lim f x

is the expected value of f at x a given the values of f near to the left of a . This value is
called left hand limit of f and a.
We say

x a

lim f x

is the expected value of f at x a given the values of f near to the right of a. This value is
called the right hand limit of f at a.
We say

x a

If the right and left hand limits coincide, we call the common value as the limit of f at x a and denote it by
lim f x
xa
.
Some Properties of limits

lim f x
lim g x
Let f and g be two functions such that both x a
and x a
exist. Then
(i)
(ii)
(iii)

lim[ f ( x ) g ( x )] lim f ( x ) lim g ( x )

xa

xa

xa

lim[ f ( x) g ( x)] lim f ( x ) lim g ( x)

xa

x a

x a

For every real number

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

(iv)

x a

lim[ f ( x) g ( x)] [lim f ( x) lim g ( x)]

x a

lim
xa

x a

xa

f ( x)
f ( x) lim
x a
, Provided g ( x) 0
g ( x) lim g ( x)
x a

Limits of polynomials and rational function

lim f ( x)
If f is a polynomial function, then x a
exists and is given by
lim f ( x) f ( a)
x a

An important limit

lim
x a

xn an
na n 1
xa

Limits of trigonometric functions

To evaluate the limits of trigonometric functions, we shall make use of the following limits which are given below

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(i)

sin x
1
x 0
x

lim

(ii)

lim cos x 1

(iii)

x 0

lim sin x 0
x0

13.1.2 Derivatives Suppose f is a real valued function, then

f ( x) lim
h 0

f ( x h) f ( x )
h

(1)

is called the derivative of f at x provided the limit on the R.H.S. of (1) exists.
Algebra of derivative of functions Since the very definition of derivatives involve limits in a rather direct fashion,
we expect the rules of derivative to follow closely that of limits as given below:
Let f and g be two functions such that their derivatives are defined in a common domain. Then:
(i)

Derivative of the sum of two functions is the sum of the derivatives of the functions.
d
d
d
[ f ( x) g ( x)]
f ( x) g ( x)
dx
dx
dx

(ii)

Derivative of the difference to two functions is the difference of the derivatives of the functions.
d
d
d
[ f ( x) g ( x)]
f ( x) g ( x)
dx
dx
dx

(iii)

Derivative of the product of two functions is given by the following product rule.

d
[ f ( x ) g ( x)]
dx

d
d

f ( x) g ( x) f ( x) g ( x)
dx

dx

This is referred to as Leibnitz Rule for the product of two functions.

(iv)

Derivative of quotient of two functions is given by the following quotient rule (wherever the denominator is nonzero).
d

dx

d
d

f ( x) g ( x ) f ( x ) g ( x)

f ( x )
dx

dx

g ( x)
( g ( x)) 2

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SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
1
x2

3
2
2

x x x 3 x 2 x

lim
x 1

1. Evaluate:

lim

x15 1
x10 1

lim

sin 4 x
sin 2 x

x 1

2. Evaluate:

x 0

3. Evaluate:

x 4 81
2
4. Evaluate: x 3 2 x 5 x 3
lim

5. Evaluate:

lim
x 0

sin ax
, a, b 0
sin bx

sin( x)
x ( x )
6. Evaluate:
lim

7. Evaluate:
8. Evaluate:
9. Evaluate:

lim

cos 2 x 1
cos x 1

lim

sin ax bx
a , b, a b 0
ax sin bx

x 0

x 0

lim(cosec x cot x)
x 0

lim
10. Evaluate:

x
2

tan 2 x

x
2

x 2 1,

11. Find

12. Find

lim f ( x),
x 1

lim f ( x ),
x 0

13. Suppose

f ( x)
where

where

x 1, x 1

x
, x0

f ( x) | x |
0, x 0

a bx, x 1

f ( x) 4,
x 1
b ax x 1

M_XI_Limits and
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x 1

and if

lim f ( x) f (1)
x 1

what are possible values of a and b ?

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14. If

mx 2 n, x 0

f ( x) nx m, 0 x 1.
nx3 m, x 1

For what integers m and n does both

lim f ( x)
x 0

and

lim f ( x )
x 1

exist?

1
2(2 x 3)
3
2

x 2 x 3x 2 x

15. Evaluate:

lim
x2

lim(sex x tan x)

16. Evaluate:
17. Evaluate:

lim
x 0

sin(2 x) sin(2 x)
x

2sin 2 x sin x 1
2

x 2sin x 3sin x 1

lim
18. Evaluate:
19. Evaluate:

tan x sin x
sin 3 x

lim
x 0

a 2 x 3x
3a x 2 x

lim
20. Evaluate:

xa

(a h) 2 sin( a h) a 2 sin a
h
21. Evaluate: h0
lim

lim
22. Evaluate:

x
2

1 sin x
cos x

(1 x)6 1
x 1 (1 x ) 2 1
23. Evaluate:
lim

(2 x) 2 (a 2) 2
lim
xa
24. Evaluate: x a
x2 4

lim
25. Evaluate:

3x 2 x 2

x2

x4 4
2 x2 3 2 x 8

lim

26. Evaluate:

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x n 2n
80, n N
27. Find n , if x 2 x 2
lim

sin 2 2 x
2
28. Evaluate: x 0 sin 4 x
lim

29. Evaluate:

lim
x 0

2sin x sin 2 x
x3

sin x cos x

x
x
4
4
30. Evaluate:
lim

lim
31. Evaluate:

x
6

lim
32. Evaluate:

33. Evaluate:

x a

lim
x 0

3 sin x cos x

x
6
sin x sin a
x a
2 1 cos x
sin 2 x

tan 3 x tan x

x
4 cos x
4

34. Evaluate:
lim

k cos x

f ( x) 2 x

35. Let

lim f ( x) f ( ),
x

2
2 and if x 2
find the value of k .

when x

SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS OF DIFFERENTIATION

2
x2

36. Differentiate w.r.t x : x 1 3x 1

xn an
37. Find the derivative of x a for some constant a.
38. Find the derivative of

f ( x)

2x 3
x 2 from the first principle.

39. Find the derivative of f ( x) x sin x from the first principle.

n
m
40. Differentiate w.r.t x : (ax b) (cx d )

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cos x
41. Differentiate w.r.t x : 1 sin x
sin x cos x
42. Differentiate w.r.t x : sin x cos x
sin( x a )
43. Differentiate w.r.t x : cos x
44.Find the derivative of f ( x) tan( ax b) by first principle.
45. Find the derivative of f ( x) sin x , by first principle.

1
dy
,
x then find dx at x 1

y x
46. If

1
x2 ,
y
dy
1
1 2
x
47. If
then dx is?
1

y
48. If

49. If

50. If

x
dy
log x
,

1 log x prove that dx (log ex) 2

y 1

x x 2 x3
dy
.......,
y
1! 2! 3!
show that dx

y 1

x x2 x3
xn
dy
xn
...... ,
y
0
1! 2! 3!
n ! show that dx
n!

Answers
1) 2

2) 3/2

3) 2

4) 108/7

5) a/b

8) 1

9) 0

10) 2

11) Limit does not exist

6) 1/

7) 4

12) Limit does not exist.

13) a = 0, b = 4
14) For

15)

lim f ( x)
x 0

to exists, we need

16) 0

m n ; lim f ( x )
x 1

17) 2 Cos 2

exists for any integral value of m and n.

18) 3

19)

2 3
20) 9

25) 8
31) 2

2
21) a cos a 2a sin a

22) 0

23) 3

3
5
(a 2) 2
24) 2

26) 8/5

28)

29) 1

30) 2

27) n = 5

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2
x(3 x 2)

2
(3 x 1) 2
36) ( x 1)

1
32) 2 a cos a

33) 4 2

34) 4

nx n anx n 1 x n a n
( x a)2
37)

38)

7
( x 2) 2

35) k = 6

39) x cos x sin x

1
41) 1 sin x

n 1
m 1
40) (ax b) (cx d ) [mc (ax b ) na (cx d )]

2
2
42) (sin x cos x)

46) 0

x
47)

cos a
2
cos
x
43)

2
44) a sec ( ax b).

1
cot x sin x
45) 2

4 x
2

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Solutions of some selected questions

1.

x2

1
1
x2

x 2 x x3 3 x 2 2 x x( x 1) x( x 2 3 x 2)

x2
1

x( x 1) x( x 1)( x 2)

x 2 4 x 4 1
x2 4x 3

x( x 1)( x 2)
x( x 1)( x 2)

x2 2

1
x2 4 x 3
( x 3)( x 1)

lim
lim

3
2
x 1 x 2 x
x

1
x

1
x 3x 2 x
x( x 1)( x 2)
x ( x 1)( x 2)

Hence

lim

lim
x 1

x 3
1 3

x( x 2) 1(1 2) = 2.

x15 1 x10 1
x15
1
x15 1
x10 1

lim

lim

lim

x 1
x 1 x10 1
x 1
x 1
x 1
x 1
x 1
x 1

lim
2.

14
9
= 15(1) 10(1) = 15 10 = 3/2.

sin 4 x
sin 4 x 2 x
lim

x 0 sin 2 x
x 0
4 x sin 2 x

lim
3.

=
11.

sin 4 x

4x

2 lim
4 x 0

sin 2 x
lim
0 2 x
2x

sin 4 x
2 lim

x 0
4 x

2 1 1
= 2.

sin
2x

2x
(as x 0, 4 x 0 and 2 x 0)

lim f ( x ) lim x 2 1 12 1 1 1 0

x 1

x 1

lim f ( x ) lim x 2 1 12 1 1 1 2

x 1

x 1

lim f ( x) lim f ( x).

x 1
It observed that x 1
lim f ( x )
Hence, x1
does not exist.

13.

The given function is

a bx, x 1

f ( x ) 4,
x 1
b ax, x 1

lim f ( x ) lim(a bx ) a b

x 1

x 1

lim f ( x) lim(b ax) b a

x 1

x 1

f (1) 4

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lim f ( x ) f (1)
It given that x 1

lim f ( x) lim f ( x) lim f ( x) f (1)

x 1

x 1

x 1

a b 4 and b a 4

On solving these two equations, we obtain a 0 and b 4.

Thus, the respective possible values of a and b are 0 and 4.

14.

The given function is

mx 2 n, x 0

f ( x) nx m, 0 x 1
nx 3 m, x 1

lim f ( x ) lim(mx 2 n ) m(0)2 n n

x 0

x 0

lim f ( x ) lim(nx m) n(0) m m.

x 0

x 0

lim f ( x)

Thus,

x 0

exists if m n.

lim f ( x) lim( nx m) n(1) m m n

x 1

x 1

lim f ( x) lim( nx3 m) n(1)3 m m n

x 1

x 1

lim1 f ( x) lim f ( x) lim f ( x).

x 1

x 1

lim f ( x)

Thus,

x 1

x 1

exists for any integral value of m and n.

1
x ( x 1) 2(2 x 3)
1
2(2 x 3)
2(2 x 3)
3
lim

lim

x2 x 2
x 2 x 2
x 2
x 3x 2 x
x( x 1)( x 2)
x ( x 1)( x 2)

15.

lim

( x 2)( x 3)
x2 5x 6
lim
[ x 2 0]

x 2 x ( x 1)( x 2)
x 2 x ( x 1)( x 2)

=
lim

=
16.

x3

x( x 1)

lim
x2

Put

= 1 /2.

x.
y .
2
2 Therefore
Then y 0 as

lim(sec x tan x) lim sec y tan

0
2
2
x

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lim(cosec y cot y)
y 0

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2sin 2

1 cos y
1
cos y

lim

lim
y

y 0
y
y
sin y sin y
0 sin y
2sin cos
2
2

lim
y 0

lim tan
y
0
2

17.

=
18.

y
2

= 0.

sin(2 x) sin(2 x)
lim
lim
x 0
x 0
x

lim
x0

1 cos y
2 y
since, sin 2
2

sin y 2sin y cos y

2
2

y
2

(2 x 2 x)
(2 x 2 x)
sin
2
2
x

2cos

cos 2sin x
sin x
2cos lim
x

0
x
x = 2 cos 2

as lim
x 0

sin x
1
x

2sin 2 x sin x (2sin x 1)(sin x 1)

2sin 2 x 3sin x 1 (2sin x 1)(sin x 1)
2sin 2 x sin x 1
(2sin x 1)(sin x 1)
lim
2

x sin x 3sin x 1
x (2sin x 1)(sin x 1)

lim
Therefore,

lim
=

x
6

19.

lim
x 0

sin x 1
sin x 1

1 sin
sin

(as 2sin x 1 0)

1
6
=3

tan x sin x
lim
x 0
sin 3 x
2sin 2

lim
x0

=
lim
x a

20.
lim
xa

1
cos x lim 1 cos x
x 0 cos x sin 2 x
sin 3 x

sin x

x
2

cos x 4sin 2 cos 2

2

2 = 1/2.

a 2 x 3x
a 2 x 3x

lim
3a x 2 x
a 2 x 3x x a

(a x)
a 2 x 3x

M_XI_Limits and
Derivatives

3a x 2 x

3a x 2 x

a 2 x 3x
3a x 2 x

3a x 2 x

10

a 2 x 3x

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lim

x a

21.

( a x)

3a x 2 x
4 a
2
2 3

9
a 2 x 3 x 3a x 4 x 3 2 3a 3 3

(a 2 h2 2ah)[sin a cos h cos a sin h] a 2 sin a

h 0
h

lim

a 2 sin a(cos h 1) a 2 cos a sin h

(h 2a)(sin a cos h cos a sin h)

h0
h
h

lim

2
2
a sin a 2sin

lim
h 0
h2

h
2

a 2 cos a sin h
lim h 2a sin a h
h0
h0
h

lim

a 2 sin a 0 a 2 cos a(1) 2a sin a

a 2 cos a 2a sin a

22.

1 sin y

1 sin x
2
lim
lim
cos x
y

0
x
cos y
2

taking

x y
2

y
2sin 2
1 cos y
2 lim tan y
lim
lim
y 0
y 0
y
y y 0
sin y
2
2sin cos
2
2
= 0.

f ( x) lim

f ( x h) f ( x)

h 0

38.

lim

(2 x 2h 3)( x 2) (2 x 3)( x h 2)
h( x 2)( x h 2)

lim

(2 x 3)( x 2) 2h( x 2) (2 x 3)( x 2) h(2 x 3)

h( x 2)( x h 2)

lim

7
7

( x 2)( x h 2)
( x 2) 2

h0

h 0

h0

40.

2( x h) 3 2 x 3

lim x h 2
x2
h 0
h

y (ax b) n (cx d ) n
dy
d

n(ax b) n 1 (ax b) (cx d )m

dx
dx

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m 1 d
n

m(cx d ) dx (cx d ) (ax b)

11

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dy
n( ax b) n 1 a (cx d ) m m(cx d ) m 1 c (ax b) n
dx

( ax b) n 1 (cx d ) m 1[mc (ax b) na (cx d )]

41.

Let

f ( x)

cos x
1 sin x

f ( x)

d
d
(cos x) (cos x) (1 sin x)
dx
dx
(1 sin x)

(1 sin x)

By quotient rule,

(1 sin x)( sin x) (cos x)(cos x)

(1 sin x)2

d
(1 sin x)
sin x sin 2 x cos 2 x
dx

(1 sin x)2

sin x (sin 2 x cos 2 x) sin x 1 (1 sin x)

1

2
2
2
(1 sin x)
(1 sin)
(1 sin x)
(1 sin x)

44.

sin( ax ah b) sin( ax b)

tan(a ( x h) b ) tan(ax b )
cos( ax ah b) cos( ax b)
lim
lim
h 0
h 0
h
h

lim

sin( ax ah b)cos( ax b) sin( ax b) cos(ax ah b)

h cos( ax b)cos(ax ah b)

lim

a sin( ah)
a h cos( ax b) cos( ax ah b)

lim

a
sin ah
lim
h

0
cos(ax b) cos(ax ah b)
ah

h0

h 0

h0

45.

[as h 0 ah 0]

a
a sec 2 ( ax b)
cos ( ax b)
2

f ( x) lim
h 0

sin( x h) sin x
lim
h0
h

lim
h0

lim
h0

f ( x h) f ( x )
h

sin( x h) sin x
sin( x h) sin x

M_XI_Limits and
Derivatives

sin( x h) sin x
h

lim
h 0

sin( x h) sin x

sin( x h) sin x

h
2 x h
sin
2
2

2cos
h
2
2

sin( x h) sin x

12

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cos x
1
cot x sin x
2 sin x 2

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13

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