Math 134

limits and Asymptotes

Week 3
Last Week

A sequence is a list of numbers written in a definite order

a1 , a2 , a3 , . . . , an , . . .

Explicit sequences: We have a formula for the nth term of the sequence.
Recursive sequences: (also known as difference equations): The nth term of the sequence
depends on some of the terms that precede it.

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A recursive sequence also is called a difference equation.
Examples of first-order difference equations are
Nt+1 = RNt
bn+1 = c + rbn

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This Week

limits of functions as x → ±∞.

limits of functions as x → a.

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Limits of Functions

We extend the concept of a limit at infinity for sequences to functions, and ask: what
behaviour does a function f (x) exhibit for large x (in both positive and negative sense).
We then extend the concept of a limit at infinity to a limit at a given value of x, say
x = a, and ask: what happens to the values of f (x) as x approaches a?

Asking these sorts of questions gives a lot of insight about the graph of f (x), about how the
function f (x) ‘behaves’ in different regions of its domain.

Also, the concept of the limit lies at the heart of calculus, and allows us to define
instantaneous rates of change and derivatives. More on that later.

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Limits at Infinity
Let f be a function defined on some interval (a, ∞). We write

lim f (x) = L1
x→∞

if L1 is a finite number such that the values of f (x) can be made arbitrarily close to L1 for
x sufficiently large positive.
Let f be a function defined on some interval (−∞, a). We write

lim f (x) = L2
x→−∞

if L2 is a finite number such that the values of f (x) can be made arbitrarily close to L for
x sufficiently large negative.
The lines y = L1 and y = L2 is called a horizontal asymptotes if they exist and

either lim f (x) = L1 or lim f (x) = L2 (or both)

x→∞ x→−∞

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Limits at Infinity

If f (x) does not approach a finite number L as x gets large positive, then we say that the
limit does not exist (DNE), and we generally write

lim f (x) DNE.

x→∞

Similarly, If f (x) does not approach a finite number L as x gets large negative, then we
say that the limit does not exist (DNE), and we generally write

lim f (x) DNE.

x→−∞

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Limits at Infinity
The notation
lim f (x) = ∞
x→∞

is used to indicate that the values of f (x) become large as x becomes large.
Similar notations are attached to the following symbols:

lim f (x) = ∞
x→−∞
lim f (x) = −∞
x→∞
lim f (x) = −∞
x→−∞

Please note that ∞ and −∞ are not numbers. Hence even if

lim f (x) = ∞,
x→∞

we keep in mind that the limit DNE (does not exist).

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Three Starter Examples
5
1 lim
x→∞ x

2 lim cos(x)
x→∞

√
3 lim x
x→∞

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Question 3.1: Finding the Limit

Find the limit.

√
t + t2
lim
t→∞ 2t − t 2

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Question 3.1: Finding the Limit

Find the limit.

√
t + t2
lim
t→∞ 2t − t 2

(a) 1
2
(b) -1
(c) 1
(d) ∞

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Question 3.2: Finding the Limit

Find the limit.

x 4 − 3x 2 + x
lim
x→∞ x 3 − x + 2

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Question 3.2: Finding the Limit

Find the limit.

x 4 − 3x 2 + x
lim
x→∞ x 3 − x + 2

(a) 0
(b) 3
(c) 1
(d) ∞

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Question 3.3: Finding the Limit

Find the limit.

p 
lim 9x 2 + x − 3x
x→∞

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Question 3.3: Finding the Limit

Find the limit.

p 
lim 9x 2 + x − 3x
x→∞

(a)
1
3
(b)
1
6
(c) 1
(d) ∞

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Question 3.4: Finding the Limit

What is the maximum number of horizontal asymptotes that a function can have?

(a) one
(b) two
(c) three
(d) as many as we want

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Question 3.5: Finding the Limit

True or False
A function can cross its horizontal asymptote.
(a) True
(b) False

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Limits of the exponential function

lim e x = ∞, lim e x = 0
x→∞ x→−∞

lim e −x = 0, lim e −x = ∞
x→∞ x→−∞

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Question 3.6: Gauss’ logistic model
Gauss (1910-1986) used the following model to describe the growth Paramecium yeast in a
petri dish. If P(t) denotes the population size at time t then

64
P(t) =
1 + 31e −0.7944t
Find the initial population and the limiting population.

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The function f (x) has a limit at a if

lim f (x) = lim+ f (x) = L.

x→a− x→a

In that case we write

lim f (x) = L
x→a

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Question 3.7:

x + 3, for x ≤ 2,
f (x) = √ lim f (x) =? lim f (x) =?
x, for x > 2, x→2− x→2+

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Assume lim f (x) and lim g (x) both exist, and c is a constant.
x→a x→a
1. lim [f (x) ± g (x)] = lim f (x) ± lim g (x)
x→a x→a x→a
2. lim cf (x) = c lim f (x)
x→a x→a
3. lim f (x)g (x) = lim f (x) lim g (x)
x→a x→a x→a
f (x) lim f (x)
4. lim = x→a , lim g (x) ̸= 0
x→a g (x) lim g (x) x→a
x→a
5. lim [f (x)]n = ( lim f (x))n
x→a x→a
6. lim c = c
x→a
7. lim x n = an , n = 1, 2, 3, 4,
x→a p q
8. lim n f (x) = n lim f (x),
x→a x→a
(If n is even, lim f (x) ≥ 0)
x→a

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Question 3.8: Limits

Evaluate the limit, if it exists.

x 2 − 5x + 6
lim
x→3 x −3

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Question 3.8: Limits

Evaluate the limit, if it exists.

x 2 − 5x + 6
lim
x→3 x −3

(a) ∞
(b) 1
(c) 0
(d) 2

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Question 3.9: Limits

Evaluate the limit, if it exists.

(4 + h)2 − 16
lim
h→0 h

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Question 3.9: Limits

Evaluate the limit, if it exists.

(4 + h)2 − 16
lim
h→0 h

(a) 1
(b) 8
(c) 4
(d) DNE

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Question 3.10: Limits

Evaluate the limit, if it exists.

1
4+ x1
lim
x→−4 4+x

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Question 3.10: Limits

Evaluate the limit, if it exists.

1
4+ x1
lim
x→−4 4+x

(a) 1
(b) 4
1
(c) −
16
(d) DNE

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Question 3.11: Limits

Evaluate the limit, if it exists.

√
4− x
lim
x→16 16x − x 2

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Question 3.11: Limits

Evaluate the limit, if it exists.

√
4− x
lim
x→16 16x − x 2

(a)
1
128
(b)
1
64
(c)
1
32
(d) DNE

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Infinite Limits and Vertical Asymptotes

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Vertical Asymptotes

Definitions
Let a be a point in the domain of f (x). Then

lim f (x) = ∞,
x→a

means that we can make f (x) arbitrarily large positive by taking x sufficiently close to a.
Corresponding definitions for one-handed limits and limits going to −∞.
The line x = a is called a vertical asymptote for the curve y = f (x) if one (or more) of
the following statements is true:

lim f (x) = ∞, lim f (x) = ∞, lim f (x) = ∞

x→a x→a− x→a+
lim f (x) = −∞, lim f (x) = −∞, lim f (x) = −∞
x→a x→a− x→a+

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Question 3.12
1
limx→1− x−1

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Question 3.13:
e x−1
lim
x→−1− x +1

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Question 3.14:

x(1 − x 2 )
Find all horizontal and vertical asymptotes for f (x) = .
8 − x3

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Question 3.14:

x(1 − x 2 )
Find all horizontal and vertical asymptotes for f (x) = .
8 − x3

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The Squeeze Theorem
Let h(x) ≤ f (x) ≤ g (x) for all x in an open interval I containing a, and
lim h(x) = lim g (x) = l, then lim f (x) = l.
x→a x→a x→a

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Question 3.15:
Evaluate the limit:
1
lim x 2 cos( )
x→0 x

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Question 3.16:
Evaluate the limit:
1
lim (x + 2)2 sin( )
x→−2 x2 − 4

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 sin x
lim =1
x→0 x

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 cos x − 1
lim =0
x→0 x

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