Limits & Continuity of Trigonometric Functions

SUGGESTED REFERENCE MATERIAL:

As you work through the problems listed below, you should reference Chapter 1.6 of the rec-
ommended textbook (or the equivalent chapter in your alternative textbook/online resource)
and your lecture notes.

EXPECTED SKILLS:

• Know where the trigonometric and inverse trigonometric functions are continuous.
sin x 1 − cos x
• Be able to use lim = 1 or lim = 0 to help find the limits of functions
x→0 x x→0 x
involving trigonometric expressions, when appropriate.

• Understand the squeeze theorem and be able to use it to compute certain limits.

PRACTICE PROBLEMS:
Evaluate the following limits. If a limit does not exist, write DNE, +∞, or −∞
(whichever is most appropriate).

1. limπ sin (2x)

x→ 4

2. lim (θ cos θ)
θ→π

−π

3. lim+ csc x
x→0

+∞

4. lim
π+
tan x
x→ 2

−∞

5. lim
π−
tan x
x→ 2

+∞

6. limπ sec x
x→ 4
√
2

1
  
sin x
7. lim
x→0 3x
1
3
 
sin 3x
8. lim
x→0 3x
1
 
sin x
9. lim
x→0 |x|
DNE
 
1 − cos x
10. lim
x→0 4x
0
 cos x 
11. lim−
x→0 x
−∞
 
sin 2x
12. lim
x→0 x
2
 
tan 2x
13. lim
x→0 x
2
 
1 − 3 cos x
14. lim
x→0 3x
DNE
−x2
 
15. lim arccos
x→∞ x2 + 3x
π
3x2
 
16. lim
x→0 1 − cos2 x
3; Video Solution http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-heD5XuKO-g

2
  
tan 5x
17. lim
x→0 sin 9x
5
9
tan2 x
18. Multiple Choice: Evaluate lim
x→0 x2
(a) −1
(b) 0
(c) 1
(d) −∞
(e) +∞

For problems 19-23, evaluate the following limits by first making an appropriate
substition. If the limit does not exist, write DNE, +∞, or −∞ (whichever is
most appropriate).

19. lim ex sin (e−x )

x→∞

1; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB5sQwo jIs

sin (ln x5 )
 
20. lim
x→1 ln x
5

21. lim
π+
esec x
x→ 2

0
 
1
22. lim sin
x→0 x2
DNE

23. lim+ tan−1 (ln x)

x→0
π
−
2

3
For problem 24-28, determine the value(s) of x where the given function is con-
tinuous.

24. f (x) = csc x

f (x) is continuous for all x 6= πk, where k is any integer.

25. f (x) = esin x

f (x) is always continuous.

1
26. f (x) = on [0, 2π]
1 − 2 cos x
π 5π
f (x) is continuous for all x in [0, 2π] except for x = and x =
3 3
27. f (x) = sin−1 x
f (x) is continuous on its domain of [−1, 1]
 π
 cos x if x < 4


28. f (x) =
 sin x if x ≥ π


4
f (x) is always continuous.

3 sin (kx)


 if x > 0
29. Find all non-zero value(s) of k so that f (x) = x is continuous

 2
6k + 5x if x ≤ 0
at x = 0.
1
k = ; Video Solution: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qso-2XBRZA
2
30. Use the Intermediate Value Theorem to prove that there is at least one solution to
cos x = x2 in (0, 1).
Let f (x) = cos (x) − x2 . Since f (x) is continuous on (−∞, ∞), it is also continuous
on [0, 1]. Notice that f (0) = 1 > 0 and f (1) = cos (1) − 1 < 0. Thus, the Intermediate
Value Theorem states that there must be some c in (0, 1) such that f (c) = 0. i.e., there
must be at least one c in (0, 1) such that cos(c) − c2 = 0 =⇒ cos (c) = c2 , as desired.

31. Let f (x) be a function which satisfies 5x − 6 ≤ f (x) ≤ x2 + 3x − 5 for all x ≥ 0.

Compute lim f (x).
x→1

−1

4
 1
2 pi
limit x $exp sin , x = 0, right
x
π
lim x e xp sin (5)
x/0C x
evalf %
32. The graph of f (x) = x2 ecos (1/x) is shown below on [−0.1,
π 0.1]:
lim x e xp sin (6)
x/0C x
1
plot x2$exp cos , x =K.1 ...1
x

0.016

0.014

0.012

0.010

0.008

0.006

0.004

0.002

K0.10 K0.05 0 0.05 0.10

x

Make a conjecture about lim f (x) and then use the Squeeze Theorem to show this is
x→0
true.
Claim: lim f (x) = 0
x→0
Proof: We can bound f (x) = x2 ecos (1/x) above by ex2 and below by e−1 x2 , both of
which approach 0 as x approaches 0. Thus, by the squeeze theorem, f (x) → 0 as well
when x → 0.
sin (x + h) − sin x
33. Let x be a fixed real number. Compute lim . (Hint: The identity
h→0 h
sin (A + B) = sin A cos B + cos A sin B will be useful.)
cos x