Chapter 5: Problem 9
Prove that the limit \(\lim _{x \rightarrow 0} \frac{1}{x}\) fails to exist.
Short Answer
Expert verified
The limit does not exist because \( \frac{1}{x} \) approaches \( +\infty \) from the right and \( -\infty \) from the left as \( x \to 0 \).
Step by step solution
01
Understand the Problem
To prove that a limit does not exist, we typically need to show that the limit is not the same from different directions or does not converge to a single value as the variable approaches a certain point. In this case, we need to show what happens to \( \frac{1}{x} \) as \( x \to 0 \).
02
Analyze the Right-Hand Limit
Analyze \( \lim_{x o 0^+} \frac{1}{x} \). As \( x \) approaches 0 from the positive side (i.e., positive values very close to 0), the expression \( \frac{1}{x} \) becomes very large, heading to \( +\infty \).
03
Analyze the Left-Hand Limit
Analyze \( \lim_{x o 0^-} \frac{1}{x} \). As \( x \) approaches 0 from the negative side (i.e., negative values very close to 0), the expression \( \frac{1}{x} \) becomes a very large negative value, heading to \( -\infty \).
04
Compare the Limits from Both Sides
The right-hand limit as \( x \to 0^+ \) is \( +\infty \), and the left-hand limit as \( x \to 0^- \) is \( -\infty \). Since these two one-sided limits are not equal, \( \lim_{x \to 0} \frac{1}{x} \) does not exist.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
One-sided limits
When evaluating limits, especially for functions like \(\frac{1}{x}\), it's crucial to consider how the function behaves as you approach the point of interest from different directions. This is where one-sided limits come into play. For example, in our problem, we need to look at two separate scenarios:
- As \(x\) approaches 0 from the right (positive side), i.e., \(x \to 0^+\).
- As \(x\) approaches 0 from the left (negative side), i.e., \(x \to 0^-\).
Infinity
Infinity is not a number, but a concept that describes something that is unbounded or limitless. In calculus, when we explore limits, a limit approaching infinity means that as the input (in this case \(x\)) gets closer to a particular value, the output (here \(\frac{1}{x}\)) increases or decreases without bound.
- For \(\lim_{x \to 0^+} \frac{1}{x}\), the result is \(+\infty\) because as we approach 0 from the positive side, the values get extremely large.
- For \(\lim_{x \to 0^-} \frac{1}{x}\), the result is \(-\infty\) because as we approach 0 from the negative side, the values become extremely negative.
Non-existence of a limit
The concept of the non-existence of a limit comes into play when the left-hand limit and right-hand limit at a given point are not equal. For a limit to exist at a certain value, the function should approach a single, consistent value from both sides. However, if it leads to different outcomes, such as \(+\infty\) from one side and \(-\infty\) from the other, the limit doesn't exist.
- In our example with \(\lim_{x \to 0} \frac{1}{x}\), the discrepancy between the right-hand limit \(+\infty\) and left-hand limit \(-\infty\) signifies the limit's non-existence.