Title: Limits, Continuity & Derivability

Chapter: Limits, Continuity & Derivability

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Worksheet Compiled By: Prashant Jain (PJ Sir)

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Definition : Limit of a function f(x) is said to exist, as x  a when,

im f (a  h) = im

f (a + h) = Finite
h0 h0

(Left hand limit) (Right hand limit)

Note that we are not interested in knowing about what happens at x = a. Also note that
if L.H.L. & R.H.L. are both tending towards '  ' or ‘–’, then it is said to be infinite limit.
Remember, ‘x  a’ means that x is approaching to ‘a’ but not equal to ‘a’.

Fundamental theorems on limits :

Let x im
a
f (x) = and x im
a
g (x) = m. If  & m are finite, then:
(A) im { f (x) ± g (x) } =  ± m
xa

(B) im { f(x). g(x) } = . m

xa

f (x) 
(C) im = , provided m  0
x a g (x) m

(D) im k f(x) = k im f(x) = k; where k is a constant.

xa xa

 
(E) im f (g(x)) = f  im g (x)  = f (m); provided f is continuous at g (x) = m.
xa
 xa 

Example # 1 : Evaluate the following limits : -

(i) xim
2
(x + 2) (ii) im cos (sin x)
x 0

Solution : (i) x + 2 being a polynomial in x, its limit as x  2 is given by xim

2
(x + 2) = 2 + 2
=4
(ii) xim
0
cos (sin x) = cos  imsin x  = cos 0 = 1
x 0

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Self practice problems

Evaluate the following limits : -

x2  4
(1) im x(x – 1) (2) xim
x2 2 x2
Ans. (1) 2 (2) 2

Indeterminate forms :

, 0 , º, 0º,1form is obtained,
0
If on putting x = a in f(x), any one of ,
0 
then the limit has an indeterminate form. All the above forms are interchangeable, i.e.
we can change one form to other by suitable substitutions etc.
In such cases xim
a
f(x) may exist.
x2  4
Consider f(x) = . Here xim x2 – 4 = 0 and xim x–2=0
x2 2 2

0
 im f(x) has an indeterminate form of the type
x2 0
nx
im has an indeterminate form of type .
x  x
im (1 + x)1/x is an indeterminate form of the type 1
x0

NOTE :
(i) +=

(ii)  x  = 

a
(iii) = 0, if a is finite.


(iv) is not defined for any a  R.

x [x 2 ]
(v) im is an indeterminate form whereas xim is not an indeterminate form
x 0 x 0 x2
(where [.] represents greatest integer function) Students may remember these
tending to zero
forms along with the prefix ‘tending to’ i.e. is an indeterminate form
tending to zero
exactly zero
where as is not an indeterminate form, its value is zero.
tending to zero

Similarly (tending to one)tending to  is indeterminate form whereas (exactly

one)tending to  is not an indeterminate form, its value is one.

To evaluate a limit, we must always put the value where ' x ' is approaching to in the
function. If we get a determinate form, then that value becomes the limit otherwise if an
indeterminate form comes, we have to remove the indeterminancy, once the
indeterminancy is removed the limit can be evaluated by putting the value of x, where it
is approaching.

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 Exercise – 1
Section (A) : Definition of LHL/RHL and Indeterminate forms
1. Examine the graph of y = f(x) as shown and evaluate the following limits :
(i) im f(x)
x 1

(ii) im
x2
f(x)
(iii) im f(x)
x3

(iv) im
x 1.99
f(x)
(v) im f(x)
x  3

2. Evaluate the following limits :

(i) im (x + sin x)
x2

(ii) im
x 3
(tan x – 2x)
(iii) im x cos x
3
x
4

(iv) im xx
x 5

ex
(v) im
x 1 sin x

3. Evaluate the following limits,

where [ . ] represents greatest integer function and { . } represents fractional part
function
x
(i) im [sin x] (ii) im   (iii) xim sgn [tan x]
x

2
x2
2 

(iv) im
x 1
sin–1 (n x)

 x 1 , x  1
4. (i) If f(x) =  , evaluate xim f(x).
2x  3 , x  1 1

 x , x 1
(ii) Let f(x) =  , if xim f(x) exist, then find value of .
2x  3 , x  1 1

x2  2 , x  2  2x , x  1
5. If f(x) =  and g(x) =  , evaluate xim f (g(x)).
 1 x , x  2 3  x , x  1 1

6. Which of the followings are indeterminate forms. Also state the type.
[x]
(i) im , where [ . ] denotes the greatest integer function
x  0 x

(ii) im
x 
x2  1 – x

(iii) im  (tan x)tan2x


x  
2

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 1

, x 
nx
(iv) im where { . } denotes the fractional part function
x 1

Section (B) : Definition of LHL/RHL and Indeterminate forms

1. im sin1 ((sec x)) is equal to
x0


(A) (B) 1 (C) zero (D) none of these
2

2. Consider the following statements :

[x]
S1 : im is an indeterminate form (where [ . ] denotes greatest integer function).
x  0 x

sin (3 x )
S2 : im =0
x   3x

x – sin x
S3 : im does not exist.
x   x  cos2 x
(n  2) !  (n  1) !
S4 : im (n  N) =0
n (n  3) !
State, in order, whether S1, S2, S3, S4 are true or false
(A) FTFT (B) FTTT (C) FTFF (D) TTFT

3. im (1  x + [x  1] + [1  x]) is equal to (where [.] denotes greatest integer function)

x 1

(A) 0 (B) 1 (C)  1 (D) does not exist

cos 1(cos x)
4. lim is equal to :
x 0 sin1(sin x)
(A) 0 (B) 1 (C) –1 (D) Does not exist

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 Answer Key
Section (A) : Definition of LHL/RHL and Indeterminate forms
1. (i) Limit does not exist (ii) 3 (iii) 3 (iv) 3 (v) 3
3 3 3 e
2. (i) 2 + sin 2 (ii) tan 3 – 2 (iii) cos (iv) 5 5
(v)
4 4 sin1
3. (i) 0 (ii) Limit does not exist (iii) Limit does not exist (iv) 0
4. (i) Limit does not exist (ii)  = –2
5. 6
6. (i) No (ii) No (iii) Yes, 0 form (iv) No

Section (B) : Definition of LHL/RHL and Indeterminate forms

1. (D) 2. (A) 3. (C) 4. (C)

Solution
Section (A) : Definition of LHL/RHL and Indeterminate forms

1.
By checking limits
(i) im f(x) = does not exist since L.H.L.  R.H.L. (ii) xim f(x) = 3
x 1 2

(iii) im f(x) = 3 (iv) im f(x) = 3 (v) im f(x) = 3

x 3 x 1.99 x  3

2. (i) im
x2
(x + sin x) = 2 + sin 2
(ii) im tan x – 2x = tan 3 – 8
x 3

3 3
(iii) im x cos x = cos
x
3 4 4
4

(iv) im
x 5
xx = 55
ex e
(v) im =
x 1 sin x sin1

3.

im [sin x] By graph of sin x


x
2

R.H.L = im [sin x] = 0 L.H.L. = im [sin x] = 0 so im [sin x ] = 0


 – x
x x
2 2 2

x
(ii) im  
x2
2
2  h  h h  h
R.H.L. = im   = him 1   = him   = him = 0
h0
 2   0
 2  0
2 0 2

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 2 – h   h  1– h 
L.H.L. = im   = him 1–  = him  2 = 1
h 0
 2   0
 2 0
 
L.H.L.  R.H.L.
x
so im   does not exist.
x 0
2
(iii) im sgn [tan x]
x 

L.H.L. = im sgn [tan x] = him

0
sgn [tan ( – h)] = him
0
sgn (– ve) = –1
x  –

R.H.L. = im sgn [tan x] = him

0
sgn [tan( + h)] = him
0
sgn (+ ve) = 0
x  –

L.H.L.  R.H.L. so limit does not exist

(iv) im sin
x 1
–1 (n x) = sin–1 im nx = sin–1 (0) = 0  x 1

so xim
1
sin–1 (n x) = 0

 x 1 , x  1
4. (i) If f(x) =   im f(x) exist if L.H.L. = R.H.L.
2x  3 , x  1 x 1

R.H.L. = im f(x) = im (2x – 3) = im [2(1 + h) – 3] = – 1

x 1 h0 x 1

L.H.L. = im f(x) = im (x + 1) = 2

x 1– x 1–

L.H.L. R.H.L.
so limit does not exist at x = 1
(ii) im f(x) exist if R.H.L. = L.H.L.
x 1

so im (2x – 3) = im (x + )  2 – 3 = 1 +   = – 2

x 1 x 1–

(2x)2  2 ; 2x  2 and x 1

[g(x)]  2 , x  2
2
 (3 – x)  2
2
; 3 – x  2 and x 1
5. f[g(x)] =  = 
 1– g(x) , x  2 1– 2x ; 2x  2 and x  1
1– (3 – x) ; 3 – x  2 and x  1
 4x 2  2 ; x  1 and x 1
 2
 x – 6x  11 ; x  1 and x  1
= 
1– 2x ; x  1 and x  1
 x – 2 ; x 1 and x 1
 4x  2 2
, x 1
f[g(x)] = 
 x – 6x  11 , x  1
2

so xim
1
f[g(x)]
R.H.L. = im (4x2 + 2) = 6
x 1

L.H.L. = im (x2 – 6x + 11) = 6

x 1–

L.H.L. = R.H.L.
so im f[g(x)] = 6
x 1

[x]  0 
6. (i) im =    Not an indeterminate form
x  0 x  ve value 
(ii) im x 2  1 – x   +  =  Not an indeterminate form
x 

(iii) im (tan x)tan2x = ()º form  Yes


x
2

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 1 1

(iv) im
x 1
x nx
; im {1  h} n(1h)
h0
1

im {h} n(1 h)

= (0 form) = 0  Not an indeterminate form
h 0

Section (B) : Definition of LHL/RHL and Indeterminate forms

1. im sec x > 1 So imit not exist
x 0

2. S1 : False as Nr. is exactly zero as x  0+

S2 : Obviously true
1 1 1
– sin 1– y sin
x – sin x y y y 1– 0
S3 : xim = y im = y im = =1
  x  cos2 x 0 1 1 0 1 1 0
 cos2 1  y cos 2

y y y
Limit exists so statement is false
1 3
 2
(n  2) (n  1) ! (n  1 )! (n  2) 1 n n
S4 : im = nim = im =0
n (n  3) (n  2) ( n  1) ! (n  3) (n  2) n  3  2
1  n  1  n 
   

3. im (1  x + [x  1] + [1  x])
x 1

L.H.L.= im (1  x + [x  1] + [1  x]) = him

0
(1  (1–h) + [1 – h  1] + [1 – 1 + h])
x  1–

im = (h + [–h] + [h]) =0–1+0=–1

h0

R.H.L. him
0
=(1  x + [x  1] + [1  x]) = (1  (1+ h) + [1 + h  1] + [1 – (1 + h)]
= him
0
(– h + [h] + [–h]) = 0 + 0 – 1 = – 1
L.H.L. = R.H.L. = – 1
so im (1  x + [x  1] + [1  x]) = – 1
x 1

x
4. lim  1
x 0 x

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