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Notes 2.6

This document covers Section 2.6 of a Calculus I course, focusing on limits at infinity and horizontal asymptotes. It provides definitions, examples, and methods for evaluating limits of rational functions as x approaches infinity. The content is based on the textbook 'Single Variable Calculus, Early Transcendentals' by Stewart, Clegg, and Watson.

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ahmed.ebrahim.alhaddar
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2 views

Notes 2.6

This document covers Section 2.6 of a Calculus I course, focusing on limits at infinity and horizontal asymptotes. It provides definitions, examples, and methods for evaluating limits of rational functions as x approaches infinity. The content is based on the textbook 'Single Variable Calculus, Early Transcendentals' by Stewart, Clegg, and Watson.

Uploaded by

ahmed.ebrahim.alhaddar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 15

MATHS 101/121: Calculus I

1
Section 2.6: Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes

Dr. Jasim Ismaeel

University of Bahrain

First Semester 2023-2024

1
Based on the textbook by Stewart, Clegg, and Watson: Single Variable Calculus,
Early Transcendentals (Metric Version), 2020, 9th Edition, Cengage Learning.
Dr. Jasim Ismaeel Section 2.6: Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes 1 / 15
Example
x2 1
Consider the function f (x) = 2 and its graph below.
x +1

Notice that as x grows larger and larger, the values of f (x) get closer and
closer to 1. We express this by saying

x2 1
lim =1
x!1 x 2 + 1

and we call the horizontal line y = 1 a horizontal asymptote.


Dr. Jasim Ismaeel Section 2.6: Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes 2 / 15
Definition
Let f be a function defined on some interval (a, 1). Then

lim f (x) = L or [f (x) ! L as x ! 1]


x!1

means that the values of f (x) can be made arbitrarily close to L by


requiring x to be sufficiently large.

Dr. Jasim Ismaeel Section 2.6: Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes 3 / 15


Definition
Let f be a function defined on some interval ( 1, a). Then

lim f (x) = L or [f (x) ! L as x ! 1]


x! 1

means that the values of f (x) can be made arbitrarily close to L by


requiring x to be sufficiently large negative.

Example 1

Example 2

Dr. Jasim Ismaeel Section 2.6: Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes 4 / 15


Ex 3 Page 137

Dr. Jasim Ismaeel Section 2.6: Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes 5 / 15


Ex 4 Page 137

Dr. Jasim Ismaeel Section 2.6: Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes 6 / 15


To evaluate the limit at infinity of a rational function:
Method 1: divide both the numerator and the denominator by the highest
power of x that occurs in the denominator, simplify, and use the theorem
above.
Theorem
If r > 0 is a rational number such that x r is defined for all x, then
1 1
lim r = 0 or lim r = 0
x!1 x x! 1 x

Method 2: keep the leading terms of both polynomials and use the
following fact: 8
>
> 0 if n < m
ax n < a
lim m
= if n = m
x!±1 bx >
> b
:±1 if n > m

Dr. Jasim Ismaeel Section 2.6: Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes 7 / 15


Example
Evaluate the following limit

3x 2 x 2
lim
x!1 5x 2 + 4x + 1

Dr. Jasim Ismaeel Section 2.6: Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes 8 / 15


Example
Evaluate the following limits
x2 + 4 x 3 + 2x
1 lim 2 lim
x!1 x 3 + x 1 x! 1 x 6

Dr. Jasim Ismaeel Section 2.6: Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes 9 / 15


Example
p
2x 2 + 1
Evaluate the following limit: lim .
x!1 3x 5

Dr. Jasim Ismaeel Section 2.6: Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes 10 / 15


Example
p
1 + 4x 6
Evaluate the following limit: lim 3
.
x! 1 2 x

Dr. Jasim Ismaeel Section 2.6: Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes 11 / 15


Example
Evaluate the following limit
p
lim ( x 2 + 1 x)
x!1

Dr. Jasim Ismaeel Section 2.6: Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes 12 / 15


Infinite Limits at Infinity
The values of f (x) become large as x becomes
lim f (x) = 1
x!1 large
The values of f (x) become large as x becomes
lim f (x) = 1
x! 1 large negative
The values of f (x) become large negative as x
lim f (x) = 1
x!1 becomes large
The values of f (x) become large negative as x
lim f (x) = 1
x! 1 becomes large negative

Dr. Jasim Ismaeel Section 2.6: Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes 13 / 15


Example
Evaluate the following limits:
1 lim x 3
x!1
2 lim x 3
x! 1
3 lim (x 2 x)
x!1
x2 + x
4 lim
x!1 3 x

Dr. Jasim Ismaeel Section 2.6: Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes 14 / 15


Exercise 21 Page 138
p
4 x
Evaluate lim p .
x!1 2 + x

Dr. Jasim Ismaeel Section 2.6: Limits at Infinity; Horizontal Asymptotes 15 / 15

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