/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} Problem 17 Find the limits. $$ \lim _{x... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91Ó°ÊÓ

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Find the limits. $$ \lim _{x \rightarrow 3} \frac{x}{x-3} $$

Short Answer

Expert verified
The limit does not exist.

Step by step solution

01

Direct Substitution

To find the limit, we first try to directly substitute the value that \( x \) approaches into the expression. Here, substitute \( x = 3 \). This gives: \( \frac{3}{3-3} \). However, this results in \( \frac{3}{0} \), which is undefined.
02

Analyze the Expression

Since direct substitution leads to an undefined form \( \frac{k}{0} \), where \( k eq 0 \), we conclude that the limit does not exist in the normal sense. We need to analyze the behavior of the expression as \( x \) approaches 3.
03

Approach from the Left, \( x \rightarrow 3^- \)

Consider values of \( x \) that are slightly less than 3. As \( x \rightarrow 3^- \), \( x-3 \) becomes a small negative number. Therefore, \( \frac{x}{x-3} \) becomes a positive number divided by a small negative number, leading to \( -\infty \).
04

Approach from the Right, \( x \rightarrow 3^+ \)

Consider values of \( x \) that are slightly greater than 3. As \( x \rightarrow 3^+ \), \( x-3 \) becomes a small positive number. Therefore, \( \frac{x}{x-3} \) becomes a positive number divided by a small positive number, leading to \( +\infty \).
05

Conclude the Limit

Since approaching from the left gives \( -\infty \) and from the right gives \( +\infty \), the limit from both sides are different. Therefore, the overall limit \( \lim_{x \rightarrow 3} \frac{x}{x-3} \) does not exist.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Direct Substitution
When dealing with limits, the first method you try is often direct substitution. This involves plugging the number that the variable approaches directly into the function. In simple situations, this can quickly give you the limit. To use this method, replace "\( x \)" in the expression with the value it approaches. In the exercise, you substitute \( x = 3 \) into \( \frac{x}{x-3} \). Unfortunately, in this case, direct substitution gives us \( \frac{3}{0} \), which is undefined. That's because division by zero is not allowed in mathematics. It means the expression becomes meaningless, and this results in an undefined form. An undefined result from direct substitution indicates that further analysis is needed, often through other methods.
Limit Analysis
Limit analysis is crucial when direct substitution leads to an undefined result. This analysis helps determine the behavior of a function as it approaches a specific value. By analyzing the expression \( \frac{x}{x-3} \), it becomes evident that the denominator \( x - 3 \) approaches zero as \( x \) goes towards 3. The numerator still remains 3, making the fraction tend towards infinity because a non-zero number divides by a tiny number.Mathematically, this means the limit doesn't exist in the traditional sense because as you get closer to the point of interest, the values of the function can go towards infinity or negative infinity. Hence, the behavior of \( \frac{x}{x-3} \) indicates that more detailed analysis through one-sided limits is required.
One-Sided Limits
One-sided limits are used when analyzing the behavior of a function as it approaches a certain point from one side—either from above (right) or below (left). These limits can tell us how the function behaves differently from each direction.For \( \lim_{x \rightarrow 3} \frac{x}{x-3} \), if \( x \) approaches 3 from the left (denoted as \( x \rightarrow 3^- \)), the denominator \( x-3 \) takes on small negative values. Thus, the entire expression yields negative infinity, \( -\infty \).Conversely, as \( x \) approaches 3 from the right (denoted as \( x \rightarrow 3^+ \)), \( x-3 \) becomes a small positive number. Hence, the fraction becomes positive, resulting in positive infinity, \( +\infty \).Since these one-sided limits are not equal (\( -\infty \) from the left and \( +\infty \) from the right), the overall limit for these cases does not exist, confirming the conclusion from the initial undefined result.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Suppose that \(M\) is a positive number and that for all real numbers \(x\), a function \(f\) satisfies $$ -M \leq f(x) \leq M $$ Then $$ \lim _{x \rightarrow 0} x f(x)=0 \text { and } \lim _{x \rightarrow+\infty} \frac{f(x)}{x}=0 $$

(a) Explain why the following calculation is incorrect. $$\begin{aligned} \lim _{x \rightarrow 0^{+}}\left(\frac{1}{x}-\frac{1}{x^{2}}\right) &=\lim _{x \rightarrow 0^{+}} \frac{1}{x}-\lim _{x \rightarrow 0^{+}} \frac{1}{x^{2}} \\ &=+\infty-(+\infty)=0 \end{aligned}$$ (b) Show that \(\lim _{x \rightarrow 0^{+}}\left(\frac{1}{x}-\frac{1}{x^{2}}\right)=-\infty\)

Find the limits. $$ \lim _{x \rightarrow 0} \frac{2-\cos 3 x-\cos 4 x}{x} $$

Find the limits. $$ \lim _{x \rightarrow 9} \frac{x-9}{\sqrt{x}-3} $$

In the study of falling objects near the surface of the Earth, the acceleration \(g\) due to gravity is commonly taken to be a constant \(9.8 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}^{2}\). However, the elliptical shape of the Earth and other factors cause variations in this value that depend on latitude. The following formula, known as the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS 84) Ellipsoidal Gravity Formula, is used to predict the value of \(g\) at a latitude of \(\phi\) degrees (either north or south of the equator): \(g=9.7803253359 \frac{1+0.0019318526461 \sin ^{2} \phi}{\sqrt{1-0.0066943799901 \sin ^{2} \phi}} \mathrm{m} / \mathrm{s}^{2}\) (a) Use a graphing utility to graph the curve \(y=g(\phi)\) for \(0^{\circ} \leq \phi \leq 90^{\circ}\). What do the values of \(g\) at \(\phi=0^{\circ}\) and at \(\phi=90^{\circ}\) tell you about the WGS 84 ellipsoid model for the Earth? (b) Show that \(g=9.8 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}^{2}\) somewhere between latitudes of \(38^{\circ}\) and \(39^{\circ}\).

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