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6.3 Limits by Limits by (c) Rationalization (Removable Discontinuity)

Difference of two squares: a2 – b2 = (a – b)(a + b)
Sum of two cubes: a3 + b3 = (a + b)(a2 – ab + b2)
Difference of two cubes: a3 – b3 = (a – b)(a2 + ab + b2)

Example 1:
x  1 1 0  1 1 0
lim   (Indeterminate form)
x 0 x 0 0
x 1 1 x 1 1
lim x 0 x

x 1 1
Rationalize using the conjugate

x 1 1
lim x
x 0  x 1 1 
x 1
lim x lim Simplify
x 0  x 1 1  x 0 x 1 1

1 1 1
lim x 0 x 1 1
  Direct Substitution
0 1 1 2

Example 2:

x x x 1 1 x( x  1  1)
lim  lim ( )  lim
x 0 x  1 1 x 0 x  1 1 x  1  1 x 0 x  11
x( x  1  1)
 lim  lim ( x  1  1)  0  1  1  2
x 0 x x 0

The original function is NOT continuous at x=0. However, the limit exists when x=0.


Example 3:
x 1  2 x 1  2 x 1  2 x  1 2
lim  lim ( )  lim
x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1  2 x 1 (x 1)( x  1  2)
x 1 1 1 1 2
 lim  lim   
x 1 (x 1)( x  1  2) x 1 ( x  1  2) ( 1 1  2) 2 2 4

The original function is NOT continuous at x=1. However, the limit exists when x=1.



Example 4:

Solution:

Thus,

Example 5:
 Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT
UC Math MA, HKU Chemist hinwahk@gmail.com
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

Example 6:

Find limit:

Solution:

Let

Thus,

Example 7:
Example 8:

Find limit

Solution:

Example 9:
k x 1  n
Determine the constants k and n such that lim  2
x 1 x 1
Solution:
Since the denominator is 0 when x=1, the numerator has to be 0 when x=1 for the limit to exist.

k 1 1  n  0
k 2n
k x 1  n k x 1  k 2 x 1  2 x  1  2  x  1  2 
lim  lim  k lim  k lim  
x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1  x  1  2 

x  1 2 x 1 x 1
 k lim  k lim  k lim
x 1 (x 1)( x  1  2) x 1 (x 1)( x  1  2) x 1 (x 1)( x  1  2)

1 1 1
 k lim k k
x 1 x 1  2 1 1  2 2 2
1
k  2
2 2
k4
nk 24 2


 Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT
UC Math MA, HKU Chemist hinwahk@gmail.com
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

Your Turn!

Evaluate the following limits. Answers

1. lim ( x  x  3 )
x

x 9
2. lim
x 9 x 3
6

3. lim ( 4 x 2  6 x  3  2 x  1)
x

1
2