3.

7 Indeterminate Forms
and
L’Hospital’s Rule
 Definition:
𝑓(𝑥)
A limit of the form lim is called
𝑥→𝑥0 g(𝑥)
𝟎
(1) an indeterminate form of type ( ) if both
𝟎
𝑓(𝑥) → 0 and g(𝑥) → 0 as 𝑥 → 𝑥0 ;
∞
(2) an indeterminate form of type ( ) if both
∞
𝑓(𝑥) → ±∞ and g(𝑥) → ±∞ as 𝑥 → 𝑥0
 Theorem: (L’Hospital’s Rule)
Suppose 𝑓 and g are differentiable and g′(𝑥) ≠ 0 near 𝑥0
(except possibly at 𝑥0 ). Suppose that
lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 0 and lim g 𝑥 = 0;
𝑥→𝑥0 𝑥→𝑥0
or
lim 𝑓(𝑥) = ±∞ and lim g(𝑥) = ±∞.
𝑥→𝑥0 𝑥→𝑥0
Then
𝑓 𝑥 0 ∞ 𝐿 𝑓 ′ (𝑥)
lim ( )( ) = lim ′
𝑥→𝑥0 g 𝑥 0 ∞ 𝑥→𝑥0 g (𝑥)

if the limit on the right side exists (or is ∞ or −∞).

Proof: For the special case in which 𝑓 𝑥0 = 𝑔 𝑥0 = 0,
𝑓′ and 𝑔′ are continuous, and 𝑔′(𝑥0 ) ≠ 0,
𝑓(𝑥) 𝑓 𝑥 −𝑓(𝑥0 )
lim = lim
𝑥→𝑥0 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑥→𝑥0 𝑔(𝑥)−𝑔(𝑥0 )
𝑓 𝑥 −𝑓(𝑥0 )
𝑥−𝑥0
= lim
𝑥→𝑥0 𝑔 𝑥 −𝑔(𝑥0 )
𝑥−𝑥0

𝑓′ (𝑥0 )
=
𝑔′ (𝑥0 )
𝑓 ′ (𝑥)
= lim ′
𝑥→𝑥0 𝑔 (𝑥)
 ln 𝑥 𝑒𝑥 ln 𝑥
Example 1. Find (1) lim ; (2) lim 2 ; (3) lim 3 .
𝑥→1 𝑥−1 𝑥→∞ 𝑥 𝑥→∞ 𝑥
ln 𝑥 0 𝐿 1/𝑥
Sol：(1) lim = lim = 1;
𝑥→1 𝑥−1 0 𝑥→1 1
𝑒𝑥 ∞ 𝐿 𝑒𝑥 ∞ 𝐿 𝑒𝑥
(2) lim 2 = lim = lim = ∞;
𝑥→∞ 𝑥 ∞ 𝑥→∞ 2𝑥 ∞ 𝑥→∞ 2
ln 𝑥 ln 𝑥 ∞ 𝐿 1/𝑥 3
(3) lim 3 = lim 1/3 = lim 1 = lim = 0.
𝑥→∞ 𝑥 𝑥→∞ 𝑥 ∞ 𝑥→∞ 3𝑥 −2/3 𝑥→∞ 𝑥 1/3
 tan 𝑥−𝑥
Example 2. Calculate lim .
𝑥→0 𝑥3

tan 𝑥−𝑥 0 𝐿 sec2 𝑥−1 tan2 𝑥 1 tan𝑥

Sol： lim = lim = lim = . ∵ 𝑥→0
lim =1
𝑥→0 𝑥3 0 𝑥→0 3𝑥 2 𝑥→0 3𝑥 2 3 𝑥

sin 𝑥
Example 3. Find lim− .
𝑥→𝜋 1−cos 𝑥
sin 𝑥 0
Sol： lim− = 0.
𝑥→𝜋 1−cos 𝑥 2

Remark:
sin 𝑥 cos 𝑥 −1
lim ≠ lim = −∞
𝑥→𝜋− 1−cos 𝑥 𝑥→𝜋− sin 𝑥 0−
 Definition:
If lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 0 and lim 𝑔 𝑥 = ±∞, then we say that the limit
𝑥→𝑥0 𝑥→𝑥0

lim 𝑓 𝑥 𝑔(𝑥)
𝑥→𝑥0

has an indeterminate form of type (0 ∙ ±∞)

Note:
𝑓 0 𝑔 ±∞
𝑓𝑔 = ( ) or 𝑓𝑔 = ( )
1/𝑔 0 1/𝑓 ±∞
Note:
H
lim EH = lim
x → x0 x → x0 1 / E
Example 4. Evaluate (1) lim+ 𝑥 ln 𝑥; (2) lim 𝑥 𝑒 𝑥 .
𝑥→0 𝑥→−∞
ln 𝑥 −∞ 𝐿 1/𝑥
Sol： (1) lim+ 𝑥 ln 𝑥 = lim+ 1 = lim+ = − lim+ 𝑥 = 0;
𝑥→0 𝑥→0 𝑥
∞ 𝑥→0 −1/𝑥 2 𝑥→0
𝑡 ∞ 𝐿 1
(2) lim 𝑥 𝑒𝑥 = lim −𝑡 𝑒 −𝑡 = − lim 𝑡 = − lim 𝑡 = 0.
𝑥→−∞ 𝑡→∞ 𝑡→∞ 𝑒 ∞ 𝑡→∞ 𝑒
 Definition:
If lim 𝑓 𝑥 = ∞ and lim 𝑔 𝑥 = ∞, then we say that the limit
𝑥→𝑥0 𝑥→𝑥0

lim [𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑔 𝑥 ]
𝑥→𝑥0

has an indeterminate form of type (∞ − ∞).

Note:
If lim 𝑓 𝑥 = ∞ and lim 𝑔 𝑥 = ∞, then
𝑥→𝑥0 𝑥→𝑥0
𝑔(𝑥)
∞ if lim <1
𝑥→𝑥0 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑔(𝑥) 𝑔(𝑥)
lim [𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑔 𝑥 ] = lim 𝑓 𝑥 [1 − ] = −∞ if lim >1
𝑥→𝑥0 𝑥→𝑥0 𝑓(𝑥) 𝑥→𝑥0 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑔(𝑥)
∞∙0 if lim =1
𝑥→𝑥0 𝑓(𝑥)
Example 5. Evaluate (1) lim (𝑥 − ln 𝑥); (2) lim
𝜋−
(sec 𝑥 − tan 𝑥).
𝑥→∞ 𝑥→ 2
ln 𝑥 ln 𝑥
Sol: (1) lim (𝑥 − ln 𝑥) = lim 𝑥(1 − ) =∞ ( lim = 0 < 1)
𝑥→∞ 𝑥→∞ 𝑥 𝑥→∞ 𝑥
1 sin 𝑥
(2) lim
𝜋−
(sec 𝑥 − tan 𝑥) = lim
𝜋−
( − )
𝑥→ 2 𝑥→ 2 cos 𝑥 cos 𝑥

1 0
= lim
𝜋−
1 − sin 𝑥 ( )
𝑥→ cos 𝑥 0
2
𝐿 − cos 𝑥
= lim
𝜋−
𝑥→ 2 −sin 𝑥

=0
 Definition:
Several indeterminate forms arise from the limit lim [𝑓 𝑥 ] 𝑔(𝑥) :
𝑥→𝑥0
(1) lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 0 and lim 𝑔 𝑥 =0 (type (00 ));
𝑥→𝑥0 𝑥→𝑥0

(2) lim 𝑓 𝑥 = ∞ and lim 𝑔 𝑥 =0 (type (∞0 ));

𝑥→𝑥0 𝑥→𝑥0

(3) lim 𝑓 𝑥 =1 and lim 𝑔 𝑥 = ±∞ (type (1∞ )).

𝑥→𝑥0 𝑥→𝑥0
 Note:
Let 𝑦 = [𝑓 𝑥 ] 𝑔(𝑥) . Then ln 𝑦 = 𝑔 𝑥 ln 𝑓(𝑥). Therefore,
[𝑓 𝑥 ] 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑒 𝑔 𝑥 ln 𝑓(𝑥)

and
(0 ∙ −∞) type (00 )
𝑔 𝑥 ln 𝑓(𝑥) ൞ 0 ∙ ∞ type (∞0 )
∞∙0 type (1∞ )
 2 5𝑥
Example 6. Calculate lim (1 + ) .
𝑥→∞ 3𝑥

2
2 lim 5𝑥 ln(1+ )
Sol： lim (1 + )5𝑥 = 𝑒 𝑥→∞ 3𝑥 = 𝑒10/3
𝑥→∞ 3𝑥
2
2 ln 1+3𝑥 0
( lim 5𝑥 ln(1 + ) = 5 lim 1 ( )
𝑥→∞ 3𝑥 𝑥→∞ 0
𝑥
2
ln 1+ 𝑡 0 1
= 5 lim 3
( ) (𝑡 = )
𝑡→0 𝑡 0 𝑥
2
𝐿 3
= 5 lim 2
𝑡→0 1∙ 1+ 𝑡
3
10
= )
3
Example 7. Calculate lim+ (1 + sin 4𝑥)cot 3𝑥 .
𝑥→0

cot 3𝑥 lim cot 3𝑥 ln(1+sin 4𝑥)

Sol： lim+ 1 + sin 4𝑥 (1∞ ) =𝑒 𝑥→0+
𝑥→0
ln 1+sin 4𝑥 0
lim tan 3𝑥
(0 )
=𝑒 𝑥→0 +

4 cos 4𝑥 1
𝐿 lim 1+sin 4𝑥∙
= 𝑒 +
𝑥→0 3sec2 3𝑥

= 𝑒 4/3
Example 8. Find lim+ 𝑥 𝑥 .
𝑥→0
lim 𝑥 ln 𝑥
Sol： lim+ 𝑥𝑥 (00 ) = 𝑒 𝑥→0+
𝑥→0
ln 𝑥 −∞
lim −1 ( ∞ )
= 𝑒 +𝑥
𝑥→0

1/𝑥
𝐿 lim −2
=𝑒 𝑥→0+ −𝑥

− lim 𝑥
=𝑒 𝑥→0+

= 𝑒0 = 1