Questions tagged [limits]

Questions on the evaluation and properties of limits in the sense of analysis and related fields. For limits in the sense of category theory, use the tag “limits-colimits” instead.

In mathematics, a limit is the value that a function or sequence "approaches" as the input or index approaches some value. Limits are essential to (and mathematical analysis in general) and are used to define continuity, derivatives, and integrals.

The formal $\varepsilon$-$\delta$ definition of a finite limit at a point $a\in \mathbb{R}$ is:

$$\Big(\lim_{x\rightarrow a} f(x) = L \Big)\iff \Big(\forall \varepsilon >0\, \exists \delta > 0: \forall x\in D\quad 0<\vert x-a\vert <\delta \implies \vert f(x)-L\vert <\varepsilon \Big).$$

The concept of a limit of a sequence is further generalized to the concept of a limit of a topological net, and is closely related to the concepts of limit and direct limit in category theory.

43700 questions
3
votes
3 answers

Evaluate the limit without using the L'Hôpital's rule

$$\lim_{x\to 0}\frac{\sqrt[5]{1+\sin(x)}-1}{\ln(1+\tan(x))}$$ How to evaluate the limit of this function without using L'Hôpital's rule?
Nick202
  • 31
3
votes
3 answers

How do I symbolically prove that $\lim_{n \to \infty } (n-n^2)=- \infty $?

Intuitively we know that $n^2$ grows faster than $n$, thus the difference tends to negative infinity. But I have trouble proving it symbolically because of the indeterminate form $\infty - \infty$. Is there anyway to do this without resorting to the…
3
votes
2 answers

What is the value of $\lim_{h\to 0}\frac{1/h-a}{h}$

What is the value of $\lim_{h\to 0}\frac{\frac{1}{h}-a}{h}$? I believe it does not exist, but how can this be proven? If it exists, how would you solve it? Also, in general, how would you approach a limit like this?
3
votes
4 answers

Calculate $\lim\limits_{x\to -1}\frac{x^2+3x+2}{x^2+2x+1}$

I've just have a mathematics exam and a question was this: Calculate the limits of $\dfrac{x^2+3x+2}{x^2+2x+1}$ when $x\text{ aproaches }-1$. I started by dividing it using the polynomial long division. But I always get $\frac{0}{0}$. How is this…
Garmen1778
  • 2,338
3
votes
4 answers

How to calculate $\lim_{x\to0}\frac{1}{x}\left(\sqrt[3]{\frac{1-\sqrt{1-x}}{\sqrt{1+x}-1}}-1\right)$

I've been studying limits on Rudin, Principles of Mathematical Analysis for a while, but the author doesn't exactly explain how to calculate limits...so, can you give me a hint on how to solve this?…
Adrian
  • 1,677
  • 2
  • 16
  • 22
3
votes
1 answer

Find the limit as $n\to\infty$, is it $\infty$?

\begin{equation}f(N)=\frac{\frac{L^2}{y-L}(1-\frac{L}{Nx})+\frac{NL}{N-M}(1-\frac{L}{Nx})\sum\limits_{k=0}^{M}\frac{\binom{N}{k}}{\binom{N}{M}}\left(\frac{L}{Nx-L}\right)^{k-M}}{\frac{L}{N(y-L)}\left[\frac{y}{y-L}(1-\frac{L}{Nx})+M\right]+\frac{1}{N-…
Bob
  • 73
3
votes
4 answers

Why can we modify expressions to use limits?

If I wanted to take the limit of $\frac { \left( x\cdot \cos { \left( x \right) +\sin { \left( x \right) } } \right) }{ x+{ x }^{ 2 } } $ as x approaches 0, I cannot do it directly as that would result in dividing by zero. However, if I modify…
3
votes
3 answers

Limit from UPB exam book 2014

$$\lim_{x \to 0^{+}} (\sin x)^{\cos x}\left(\frac{\cos^{2}x}{\sin x} - \sin x\log(\sin x)\right)$$ The answer is one, but i dont know how to proceed in solving the problem.
3
votes
1 answer

Calculating limits of a function of 2 or 3 variables

I have to calculate these two limits, and have no idea where to start from. Your guidance for how should I start working with it can help me a lot. 1) $\lim\limits_{(x,y,z)\rightarrow (0,0,0)}…
adamco
  • 413
3
votes
4 answers

Limit as $\lim\limits_{x\to 0+} x^2\cot( x )$

Why does $x^2\cot(x)$ become $0$ as $x$ tends to $0+$? I tried using L'Hôpital's rule but I'm not getting it! Please help!! I'm getting the value as infinity...I think I went wrong somewhere...please help me sort it out.
user220382
3
votes
1 answer

a sequence limit with inequality condition

Let sequence $\{a_{n}\}$ such $$\sqrt{na_{n}+n+1}-\sqrt{na_{n}+1}\le\dfrac{\sqrt{n}}{2}\le\sqrt{na_{n}+n}-\sqrt{na_{n}},n\ge 1$$ Find limits $$\lim_{n\to\infty}n\left(\dfrac{9}{16}-a_{n}\right)$$ I am working on a problem and I am lead to prove the…
user246688
3
votes
1 answer

Calculating limit of a particular product series

How to find $$\lim\limits_{n\to\infty} \left(1+\frac{ 1 }{ a_{ 1 } } \right) \left( 1+\frac { 1 }{ a_{ 2} } \right)\cdots\left( 1+\frac { 1 }{ a_{ n } } \right) $$ where $$a_1=1$$ $$a_n=n(1+a_{n-1})$$ for all $n \geq 2$?
user220382
3
votes
0 answers

Can't solve a limit!

There is a result that says a Negative Binomial($\mu,\phi$) distribution converges to a Poisson($\mu$) distribution when $\phi\rightarrow\infty$. Mathematically, I have: $$f(y,\phi,\mu) = \frac{\Gamma(\phi + y)}{\Gamma(y+1)\Gamma(\phi)} \left(…
3
votes
3 answers

Compute $\prod\limits _{r=3 }^{\infty }{ \frac { { r }^{ 3 }-{ 8 } }{ { r }^{ 3 }+{ 8 } } } $

How should I go about evaluating this product? I have not been able to figure out. $$\lim_{n\to\infty}\prod _{r=3 }^{n }{ \frac { { r }^{ 3 }-{ 8 } }{ { r }^{ 3 }+{ 8 } } } $$
user220382
3
votes
3 answers

Show that $n^n<(n!)^2$

I want to show that $\lim\limits_{n \to \infty}\frac{n^n}{(n!)^2}=0$ But I have absolutely no idea besides that $\frac{n^n}{(n!)^2}=\frac{n}{1}\cdot \frac{n}{2}\cdot ...\cdot \frac{n}{(n-1)^2}\cdot \frac{n}{n^2}$ Help me please.
ingoaf
  • 33