ONE – SIDED LIMITS

O N E - S I D E D L I M I T
A one – sided limit is either of the two limits of the function f(x) of x, which is a real
number as it approaches a specific point from the right or left. However, there are
circumstances wherein one of the one – sided limits exists and the other does not, and both of
the one – sided limits exists.

R I G H T - H A N D L I M I T
Right – hand limit
Let f be a function defined on some open interval (a,d). Then the limit of the function f
as x approaches a from the right is L, which is written as:
lim f ( x ) x →a= L¿ ¿,
−¿

If the values of f get closer and closer to one and only number L as x approaches a through
values that are close to, but greater than a.

EXAMPLE
x 2−8 lim f ( x ) = ¿
1.1 Let f ( x )= . Evaluate x →4 (
x −8
2 ❑

x−2 )
+¿

x−2 ¿

The limit above is a right – hand limit. When evaluating a right hand limit, we must
get values close to 4 through values of x but greater than 4. So in this case, let us
replace x with 4.05 which is close to 4 and greater than 4.
lim f ( x ) = ¿ 2 ❑
x →4
+¿
( xx−2
−8
)¿
lim f ( 4.05 ) = 2 ❑
¿
x −8
x→ 4
+¿
( x−2 ) ¿

2 ❑
4.05 −8
4.05−2
¿ ( )
16.4025 – 8 ❑
¿
2.05 ( )
8.4025 ❑
¿
2.05 ( )
= 4.09878049
= 4.1
The visual of this graph is as the image below:
L E F T - H A N D L I M I T
Left – hand limit
Let f be a function defined on some open interval (c,a). Then the limit of the function f
as x approaches a from the right is L, which is written as:
lim f ( x ) x →a= L¿ ¿, −¿

If the values of f get closer and closer to one and only number L as x approaches a through
values that are close to, but less than a.

EXAMPLE
x 2−8 lim f ( x ) = ¿
1.2 Let f ( x )= . Evaluate 2
x −8
x−2 x →4
+¿
( x−2 )
¿

The limit above is a left – hand limit. When evaluating a left - hand limit it is the
same as evaluating a right – hand limit but the only difference is that we get values
lesser than 4. So in this case, let us replace x with 3.9 which is close to 4 and lesser
than 4.
lim f ( x ) = ¿ 2
x→4
+¿
( xx−2−8 )¿
lim f ( 4.05 ) = 2
¿
x −8
x →4
+¿
( x−2 )
¿

2
¿ ( 4.05
4.05−2 )
−8

¿ ( 16.4025
2.05
–8
)
8.4025
¿(
2.05 )
= 4.09878049
= 4.1
The visual of this graph is as the image below:
T H E O R E M
lim f ( x )=L if and only if lim f ( x )=L and lim f ( x )=L.
x→ a +¿
x →a ¿
−¿
x→ a ¿

This theorem suggests that if both the right and left – hand limits are equal then the two
– side limit also exist and is equal to L. However, the two-sided limit does not exist if (i) atleast
one of the side limits does not exist, or (ii) they both exist but are not equal.

EXAMPLE

x 2−8 x 2−8
1.3 Let f ( x )=
x−2
. Evaluate lim f ( x ) x=
→ 4 x−2
. ( )
First, determine if the right hand limit exists.
lim f ( x ) = ¿ 2
x→4
+¿
( xx−2−8 )¿
52 −8
¿ (
5−2 )
25−8
¿ ( )3
17
¿ ( )
3
¿ 5.67
If the right – hand limit exists, then determine also if the left – hand limit also exists.
lim f ( x ) = ¿ 2
x→ 4
−¿
( xx−2−8 )¿
32 −8
¿ (
3−2 )
9−8
¿ ( )
1
1
¿
1 ()
¿1
Since we have determined that the right-hand and left-hand limits exist, we can now
determine if the two-sided limit also exist by following the theorem stated above.
 x 2−8
However in this case, lim f ( x ) x=
→4x−2 ( )
does not exist. Although both the limits
lim f ( x ) = ¿ lim f ( x ) = ¿
exist, both of them are not equal. x −8 ≠ x −8
¿ .
2 2
x →4 ¿ x→ 4
+¿
( x−2 ) −¿
( x−2 )
2
1.4 Let f ( x )= x + 2 x−2 , x< 2 . Evaluate if the following limits exists:
{ }
2 x+2 , x ≥ 2

a) lim ¿ b) lim ¿ c) lim f (x)

−¿ +¿
x→ 2 f (x)¿ x→ 2 f (x)¿ x →2

lim ¿
a.) −¿
x→ 2 f (x)= lim ¿¿
−¿ 2
x →2 f (x )=x + 2 x−2 ¿

2
¿ ( 2 ) +2 ( 2 ) −2
¿ 4 +4−2
¿6

b.) lim ¿= lim ¿

+¿ +¿
x→ 2 f ( x ) ¿ x→ 2 f ( x ) =¿2 x+2 ¿¿

¿ 2 ( 2 )+ 2
¿ 4 +2
¿6
lim ¿
c.) Since −¿
x→ 2 f (x)= lim +¿
¿¿ which is 6 = 6, then lim
x →2
f (x)
x →2 f ( x ) ¿

EXERCISES

4 x2 −3
1. Considering that f ( x )= . Determine the following:
3 x+ 2
a) lim ¿
+¿
x→ 1 f (x)¿

b) lim ¿
−¿
x→ 1 f (x)¿

c) lim
x →1
f (x )
 3 x +5 , x >−3
2. Let

a)
h ( x ) =

lim ¿
x{
x 2−2 x+ 6

x−2 ,−3 ≤ x <3

}
, x ≤ 3 . Evaluate the following:

d) lim ¿
−¿ −¿
x→−3 h( x)¿ x→ 3 h(x)¿

b) lim ¿ e) lim ¿
+¿ +¿
x→−3 h (x)¿ x→ 3 h( x)¿

lim h(x )
c) x→−3 f) lim h( x)
x →3

3−4 x 2 , x> 2
3. Let the function g be defined by g ( x )= {
√ x−4 , x ≤ 2 }
. Evaluate each of the limits if they

exist:
a) lim ¿ b) lim ¿ c)lim g ( x)
−¿ +¿
x→ 2 g (x)¿ x→ 2 g (x)¿ x →2