Chapter 1: Problem 13
If \(\lim _{x \rightarrow \infty}(\sqrt{(x+a)(x+b)}-x)=f(a, b)\), then evaluate \(f(9,7)\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
The short answer is: \(f(9, 7) = 0\).
Step by step solution
01
Simplification of the expression inside the limit
The given expression inside the limit is:
\[\sqrt{(x+a)(x+b)} - x\]
We can try to simplify this expression by factoring out x. Firstly, let's rewrite the expression as:
\[\sqrt{x^2 + (a+b)x + ab} - x\]
Now, we can factor x out of both terms inside the square root:
\[\sqrt{x^2(1 + \frac{a+b}{x} + \frac{ab}{x^2})} - x\]
02
Taking the limit as x approaches infinity
Now, we need to evaluate the limit as x approaches infinity:
\[\lim_{x \rightarrow \infty} \left( \sqrt{x^2(1 + \frac{a+b}{x} + \frac{ab}{x^2})} - x\right)\]
As x approaches infinity, the terms in the square root with x in the denominator approach zero:
\[\lim_{x \rightarrow \infty} \frac{a+b}{x} = 0\]
\[\lim_{x \rightarrow \infty} \frac{ab}{x^2} = 0\]
With this in mind, the expression becomes:
\[\lim_{x \rightarrow \infty} \left( \sqrt{x^2} - x\right) = \lim_{x \rightarrow \infty} (x - x) = 0\]
Thus, the limit of the given expression as x approaches infinity is 0.
03
Evaluating f(a, b) at a = 9 and b = 7
Now that we have found the limit of the expression as x approaches infinity, we can evaluate f(a, b) at the given values a = 9 and b = 7.
\[f(9, 7) = \lim_{x \rightarrow \infty} \left(\sqrt{(x+9)(x+7)} - x\right)\]
As we found in step 2, this limit is equal to 0. Therefore,
\[f(9, 7) = 0\]
Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!
-
Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
-
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
-
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
-
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.
Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91Ó°ÊÓ!
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Limit of a Function
Understanding the limit of a function is fundamental in calculus. It describes the behavior of a function as the input approaches a certain value. For example, let’s consider the function \( f(x) \), its limit as \( x \) approaches \( c \) is the value that \( f(x) \) gets closer to as \( x \) gets infinitely close to \( c \). In the exercise, we are concerned with what happens as \( x \) becomes very large, which is a special kind of limit called an infinite limit. These concepts help us understand the long-term behavior of functions even when they don't actually reach a certain value.
Limits Approaching Infinity
In many calculus problems, we deal with functions as they grow very large, or as \( x \) approaches infinity. This type of limit helps us comprehend the end behavior of a function. The key takeaway is that things simplify when dealing with infinity. In our exercise, terms like \( (a+b)/x \) and \( ab/x^2 \) become negligible as \( x \) grows without bound. Therefore, these terms approach zero and can be eliminated from the expression when considering the limit as \( x \) approaches infinity. This eventually leads to an easier function to evaluate.