Math 120

Answers for Homework 4

1. Questions about limits

(a) Yes it is possible that lim f (x) and lim g(x) dont exist but the limits lim (f (x) +
xa

xa

xa

g(x)) and lim f (x)g(x) exist. We saw an example in class. If we pick

xa

f (x) =

1 if x is rational
0 if x is irrational

and g(x) =

0 if x is rational
1 if x is irrational

then no matter what a is, neither the limits lim f (x) nor lim g(x) exist, but since
xa

xa

f (x) + g(x) = 1 and f (x)g(x) = 0, the limits of the sum and product certainly do
exist.
(b) If lim f (x) and lim (f (x) + g(x)) exist, then lim g(x) must also exist.
xa

xa

xa

Proof: If lim f (x) = L1 , and lim (f (x) + g(x)) = L2 , then since g(x) = (f (x) +
xa

xa

g(x)) f (x), by the theorem on limits of sums we have

lim g(x) = lim

xa

xa

(f (x) + g(x) f (x) = lim (f (x) + g(x)) lim f (x) = L2 L1 .

xa

xa

I.e., the limit lim g(x) exists and is equal to L2 L1 .

xa

(c) If lim f (x) exists, and lim g(x) does not exist, then lim (f (x) + g(x)) cannot exist
xa
xa
xa
either.
This is really the same logical statement as part (b), just worded differently.
Here is the reason that the limit lim (f (x) + g(x)) cannot exist in such a case. If it
xa

did exist, we would have found an example where lim f (x) exists and lim (f (x) +
xa

xa

g(x)) exists, so by part (b) lim g(x) would exist as well. So, if lim f (x) exists,
xa

xa

lim g(x) doesnt exist then lim (f (x) + g(x)) cant exist either.
xa

xa

(d) It is possible that lim f (x) exists, lim f (x)g(x) exists, and lim g(x) does not exist.
xa

xa

xa

An easy example is f (x) = x2 and g(x) = sin( x1 ). In class weve checked that
lim sin( x1 ) doesnt exist, but lim x2 sin( x1 ) does exist.

x0

x0

On the other hand, we can also be a bit more precise at this point: If lim f (x)
xa

exists and is not equal to zero, and if lim f (x)g(x) exists, then lim g(x) exists too.
xa

xa

We just copy the argument from part (b) above (or from Homework 1, question
1(b)) using division instead of subtraction.
Proof: If lim f (x) exists and is equal to L1 , L1 6= 0, and if lim f (x)g(x) exists and
xa
xa
is equal to L2 , then by the limit laws,
lim f (x)g(x)
L2
f (x)g(x)
.
= xa
=
xa
f (x)
lim f (x)
L1

lim g(x) = lim

xa

xa


2. Squeeze!
(a) Since 1 sin(1/x) 1 if we multiply by x4 + x2 (which is positive when x 6= 0)
we have (x4 + x2 ) (x4 + x2 ) sin(1/x) (x4 + x2 ) for all x 6= 0.
Since lim (x4 + x2 ) = (04 + 02 ) = 0 = lim x4 + x2 , the squeeze theorem tells us
x0

x0

that lim (x4 + x2 ) sin(1/x) exists and is equal to 0.

x0

(b) Since sin(1/x) is always between 1 and 1, and since cos(x) is always between 1
and 1, their product is also always between 1 and 1, in other words we always
have
1 cos(x) sin(1/x) 1.
Multiplying these inequalities by the positive number x2 we get
x2 x2 cos(x) sin(1/x) x2 ,
and adding 8 gives
8 x2 8 + x2 cos(x) sin(1/x) 8 + x2 .
Since lim 8 x2 = 8 = lim 8 + x2 the squeeze theorem tells us that
x0

x0

lim 8 + x2 cos(x) sin(1/x)

x0

exists and is equal to 8.

2

3. Some limits with infinity

Lets use the limit theorems to try and understand what these limits are.
(a) Since lim x1 = 0 (we saw this in class), and since cos(x) is a continuous function,
x
we have
 
1
= cos(0) = 1
lim cos
x
x
by the theorem on limits and compositions.
(b) Since sin(x) is also a continuous function, the theorem on limits and compositions
also gives us lim sin( x1 ) = sin(0) = 0.
x

Using the limit theorems, this means that

lim
x

 
  
1
1
3
1 + sin
= (0 1)(1 + 0) = 1.
cos
2
x
x
x

The first equals sign above follows

from the theorem





on limits and products. Since
the limits lim x32 cos x1 and lim 1 + sin x1 exist, the limit of their prodx
x
uct is the product of the limits.
(c) First, its good to know that lim arctan(x) = 2 . To see this we just need to know
x
that arctan is the function that takes in a slope, and returns the angle the line
with that slope makes with the x-axis.
If we look at a sequence of lines of greater and greater slope, we see that they
approach a vertical line, and hence that the angle they make with the x-axis
approaches 2 .
But then
arctan(x) x22
arctan(x) x2 2
= lim 1 1
lim
=
1 2
x
x
x +x+1
+ x + x12
2
2

0
= .
+0+0

1
2

4. The only possible value of c which makes the function f continuous is c = 6.

Proof:
If f (x) is continuous at x = 2, then by the definition of continuity we must have
lim f (x) = f (2), or, using the definition of f , that
x2

x2 + cx 16
= 5.
x2
2x 4
lim

First well see that the assumption that the limit exists implies that c = 6, and then
check that if c = 6 then the limit does exist and is equal to 5.
If we assume that the limit above exists, this means that
x2 + cx 16
(2x 4) =
lim (x + cx 16) = lim
x2
x2
2x 4
2

x2 + cx 16
lim
x2
2x 4

 

lim 2x 4
x2

= 5 0 = 0,
by the theorem on limits and products. But x2 + cx 16 is a polynomial, and therefore
continuous, and so
lim (x2 + cx 16) = 22 + c 2 16 = 2c 12.
x2

But 2c 12 = 0 is only possible when c = 6. This shows us that c = 6 is the only

possible number for which the limit could exist. Now the question is, if c = 6, does the
limit exist, and is it equal to 5?
If c = 6, then
x2 + 6x 16
(2 + 8)
(x 2)(x + 8)
(x + 8)
= lim
= lim
=
= 5.
x2
x2
x2
2x 4
2(x 2)
2
2
lim

Therefore, when c = 6 the limit lim f (x) exists and is equal to f (2), and so by the
x2
definition of continuous function, f is continuous at x = 2.
5.
(a) g(0) = |0| = 0. To show that g(x) is continuous at x = 0 we just need to show
that lim |x| = 0.
x0

Initial Investigation: Using the - definition of the limit we need to show that
given > 0 we can find > 0 so that if 0 < |x 0| < then ||x| 0| < .
Since ||x| 0| = ||x|| = |x| were supposed to show that given > 0 we can find > 0
so that if 0 < |x| < , then |x| < .
Obviously = (or any < ) will work, so now we just have to write it out.
4

Solution:
Claim: lim |x| = 0.
x0

Proof: Suppose that were given > 0. Pick < . Then if |x 0| < ,
|x 0| = |x| < < .
Since this works for any , lim |x| = 0 by the definition of limit.
x0

Note: The inequalities x |x| x are true when x is positive, but false (and
backwards!) when x is negative, so any argument that tries to use the squeeze theorem
based on these inequalities is incorrect.
(b) If we plug x = 0 into the inequality |f (x)| |x| we get |f (0)| 0. Since its
always true that 0 |f (0)| this means that |f (0)| = 0 and so f (0) = 0.
(c) Here are two solutions to part (c).
Solution 1

(repeat of - argument):

By part (b), f (0) = 0, so to show that f (x) is continuous at x = 0 we therefore have to

show that lim f (x) = 0.
x0

Initial Investigation:
By the - definition of limit, this means that given > 0 we need to be able to find
> 0 so that if 0 < |x 0| < (i.e., |x| < ) then |f (x) 0| = |f (x)| < . Since we
already know that |f (x)| |x|, and since we know how to pick a so that |x| < by
part (a), we can use the same here.
Solution:
Claim: lim f (x) = 0.
x0

Proof: Suppose that were given > 0. Pick < . Then if 0 < |x 0| < , we have
|f (x) 0| = |f (x)| |x| < <
since this works for any > 0, lim f (x) = 0 by the definition of limit.
x0

Solution 2

(using the squeeze theorem):

By part (b), f (0) = 0, so to show that f (x) is continuous at x = 0 we therefore have to

show that lim f (x) = 0.
x0

Since |f (x)| |x|, this means that |x| f (x) |x|. (If this is not clear, use problem
2(a) from homework 2: the inequality |f (x)| |x| is the same as f (x) |x| and
5

f (x) |x|. Multiplying the last inequality by 1 gives |x| f (x), so we get both
inequalities above).
Using part (a), and the limit rules, we have
lim |x| = 0 = lim |x|
x0

x0

so by the squeeze theorem we get lim f (x) = 0, so f (x) is continuous at x = 0.

x0

(d) Just like part (b), since g(0) = 0, the inequality |f (x)| |g(x)| means that f (0) =
0, so to show that f is continuous at x = 0 we need to show that lim f (x) = 0.
x0

Here are two solutions to part (d):

Solution 1

(- again):

Initial Investigation:
Suppose that were given an > 0. We want to find so that if 0 < |x| < then
|f (x) 0| = |f (x)| < . However, we know that |f (x)| |g(x)|, and since g(x) is
continuous at zero, we must be able (by the definition of continuity of g(x)) to find so
that if 0 < |x| < then |g(x)| < . By the inequality |f (x)| |g(x)|, this means that
|f (x)| < too.
Solution:
Claim: lim f (x) = 0.
x0

Proof: Suppose were given > 0. Since g(x) is continuous at x = 0, and since g(0) = 0,
there is a > 0 so that if 0 < |x 0| < then |g(x)| < . But that means that if
0 < |x 0| < , then
|f (x) 0| = |f (x)| |g(x)| < .
Since this argument works for any > 0, lim f (x) = 0 by the definition of limit.
x0

Solution 2

(squeeze theorem again):

Since |f (x)| |g(x)|, this means that we have the inequalities |g(x)| f (x) |g(x)|
(just like solution 2 in part (b)). But by assumption we have
lim |g(x)| = 0 = lim |g(x)|,
x0

x0

so by the squeeze theorem we get lim f (x) = 0, so f (x) is continuous at x = 0.

x0