Chapter 2: Problem 14
Find the limits. $$\lim _{x \rightarrow 1^{-}}\left(\frac{1}{x+1}\right)\left(\frac{x+6}{x}\right)\left(\frac{3-x}{7}\right)$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The limit is 1.
Step by step solution
01
Understanding One-sided Limits
The problem asks us to find the limit of a function as \(x\) approaches \(1\) from the left, or \(x \to 1^-\). This means we need to consider values of \(x\) that are slightly less than \(1\).
02
Simplifying the Expression
First, simplify the entire expression: \( f(x) = \left(\frac{1}{x+1}\right)\left(\frac{x+6}{x}\right)\left(\frac{3-x}{7}\right)\). Multiplying these fractions gives: \(f(x) = \frac{(3-x)(x+6)}{7x(x+1)}\).
03
Substitute the Limit Approach Value
Since \(x \to 1^-\), substitute \(1\) into the simplified expression to check for any undefined values: \(f(1) = \frac{(3-1)(1+6)}{7(1)(1+1)} = \frac{(2)(7)}{14}\).
04
Compute the Expression
Continue from the substitution at Step 3: \(f(1) = \frac{14}{14} = 1\). Therefore, the expression evaluates to \(1\) when \(x\) is very close to \(1\) from the left side.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
One-sided Limits
When working with limits in calculus, it's important to understand the concept of one-sided limits. A one-sided limit examines the behavior of a function as the input approaches a particular value from one specific direction, either from the left or the right. In this exercise, we are looking for the one-sided limit as \(x\) approaches \(1\) from the left, denoted as \(x \to 1^-\). This notation means we are considering values of \(x\) that are slightly less than \(1\).
- To find a one-sided limit, you typically look at the values of \(x\) that are gradually getting closer to the target number from the left (or from the direction indicated).
- If the function exhibits a different behavior approaching from the other side (\(x \to 1^+\)), you might get a different limit value.
- Understanding the context and behavior of the function as \(x\) approaches the limit point is crucial to calculating one-sided limits accurately.
Limit Evaluation
The process of evaluating limits involves analyzing the function's behavior as it approaches a particular value. For one-sided limits, the focus is on just one side of the value in question.
To evaluate the limit of a function like the one in our example:
To evaluate the limit of a function like the one in our example:
- First, simplify the expression if possible to make it easier to evaluate.
- Replace the approaching value into the simplified expression to see if it results in a real number or if it reveals an undefined behavior.
- After substitution, compute the result to get the value of the limit as \(x\) approaches from the specified side. For our problem, substituting \(x = 1\) into the expression gives us the result \(1\), as seen in the solution.
Fraction Simplification
Fraction simplification is a key step in many calculus problems, especially when evaluating limits. Simplifying fractions helps in making calculations easier and prevents errors during limit evaluation.
Key steps to simplify fractions in limits:
Key steps to simplify fractions in limits:
- Multiply the numerators together and the denominators together to form a single fraction, as was done in the example: \(\frac{(3-x)(x+6)}{7x(x+1)}\).
- Simplify complex expressions by canceling out common factors in the numerator and denominator if possible.
- Make sure the simplification is valid for the limit point \(x\) approaches. Sometimes adjustments are needed if the point causes division by zero or undefined terms.