Algebraic Properties of Limits - AP Calculus BC

  1. Find the limit: limx→pisin(x)\text{lim}_{x \to \text{pi}} \text{sin}(x).
    0. Direct substitution: sin⁡(π)=0\sin(\pi) = 0.
  2. Evaluate: limx→1x3−1x−1\text{lim}_{x \to 1} \frac{x^3 - 1}{x - 1}.
    3. Factor as (x2−1)/(x−1)=x+1(x^2-1)/(x-1) = x+1, then substitute x=1x=1.
  3. What is the limit of exe^x as xx approaches 0?
    1. e0=1e^0 = 1 by definition of exponential functions.
  4. Find the limit of x2−1x−1\frac{x^2 - 1}{x - 1} as xx approaches 1.
    2. Factor as (x−1)(x+1)/(x−1)=x+1(x-1)(x+1)/(x-1) = x+1, then substitute.
  5. What is the limit of xnx^n as xx approaches aa?
    ana^n. Power functions are continuous, so direct substitution works.
  6. Evaluate: limx→0(x4+3x3−2x)\text{lim}_{x \to 0} (x^4 + 3x^3 - 2x).
    0. Direct substitution: 0+0−0=00 + 0 - 0 = 0.
  7. Evaluate: limx→0x3x2\text{lim}_{x \to 0} \frac{x^3}{x^2}.
    0. Simplify to x3x2=x\frac{x^3}{x^2} = x, then substitute x=0x=0.
  8. What is the limit of sin⁡(x)x\frac{\sin(x)}{x} as xx approaches 0?
    1. This is a fundamental trigonometric limit identity.
  9. Find the limit of 3x2−x2x2+x\frac{3x^2 - x}{2x^2 + x} as xx approaches infinity.
    32\frac{3}{2}. For rational functions, the limit equals the ratio of leading coefficients.
  10. Evaluate: lim⁡x→0(1+x)n−1x\lim_{x \to 0} \frac{(1+x)^n - 1}{x} for n>0n > 0.
    nn. This follows from the binomial theorem and L'Hôpital's rule.
  11. Evaluate: limx→1(x3−3x2+3x−1)\text{lim}_{x \to 1} (x^3 - 3x^2 + 3x - 1).
    0. Direct substitution: 1−3+3−1=01 - 3 + 3 - 1 = 0.
  12. Evaluate: limx→pi2sin(x)\text{lim}_{x \to \frac{\text{pi}}{2}} \text{sin}(x).
    1. Direct substitution: sin⁡(π/2)=1\sin(\pi/2) = 1.
  13. Evaluate the limit: limx→−1(x2+2x+1)\text{lim}_{x \to -1} (x^2 + 2x + 1).
    0. Direct substitution: (−1)2+2(−1)+1=1−2+1=0(-1)^2 + 2(-1) + 1 = 1 - 2 + 1 = 0.
  14. State the property for the limit of a sum: limx→a(f(x)+g(x))\text{lim}_{x \to a} (f(x) + g(x)).
    limx→af(x)+limx→ag(x)\text{lim}_{x \to a} f(x) + \text{lim}_{x \to a} g(x). The limit of a sum equals the sum of the individual limits.
  15. Evaluate: limx→0tan⁡(x)x\text{lim}_{x \to 0} \frac{\tan(x)}{x}.
    1. Since tan⁡(x)=sin⁡(x)/cos⁡(x)\tan(x) = \sin(x)/\cos(x) and cos⁡(0)=1\cos(0) = 1.
  16. Evaluate: limx→−2x2−4x+2\text{lim}_{x \to -2} \frac{x^2 - 4}{x + 2}.
    -4. Factor as (x−2)(x+2)/(x+2)=x−2(x-2)(x+2)/(x+2) = x-2, then substitute.
  17. Evaluate: lim⁡x→−2x2−4x+2\lim_{x \to -2} \frac{x^2 - 4}{x + 2}.
    -4. Factor as $ (x-2)(x+2)/(x+2) = x-2 $, then substitute.
  18. Find the limit: limx→3(5x2−2x+1)\text{lim}_{x \to 3}(5x^2 - 2x + 1).
    40. Direct substitution: 5(9)−2(3)+1=45−6+1=405(9) - 2(3) + 1 = 45 - 6 + 1 = 40.
  19. State the property for the limit of a quotient: lim⁡x→af(x)g(x)\lim_{x \to a} \frac{f(x)}{g(x)}
    lim⁡x→af(x)lim⁡x→ag(x)\frac{\lim_{x \to a} f(x)}{\lim_{x \to a} g(x)}, if lim⁡x→ag(x)≠0\lim_{x \to a} g(x) \neq 0. The limit of a quotient equals the quotient of limits when denominator is nonzero.
  20. Find the limit: limx→1x2−1x−1\text{lim}_{x \to 1} \frac{x^2 - 1}{x - 1}.
    2. Factor as (x−1)(x+1)/(x−1)=x+1(x-1)(x+1)/(x-1) = x+1, then substitute.
  21. What is the limit of 1x\frac{1}{x} as xx approaches infinity?
    0. As xx grows large, 1x\frac{1}{x} approaches zero.
  22. Evaluate: lim⁡x→0(x4+3x3−2x)\lim_{x \to 0} (x^4 + 3x^3 - 2x).
    0. Direct substitution: 0+0−0=00 + 0 - 0 = 0.
  23. Evaluate: limx→3x2−9x−3\text{lim}_{x \to 3} \frac{x^2 - 9}{x - 3}.
    6. Factor as (x−3)(x+3)/(x−3)=x+3(x-3)(x+3)/(x-3) = x+3, then substitute.
  24. Evaluate: limx→0(1+x)n−1x\text{lim}_{x \to 0} \frac{(1+x)^n - 1}{x} for n>0n > 0.
    nn. This follows from the binomial theorem and L'Hôpital's rule.
  25. State the property for the limit of a product: limx→a(f(x)×g(x))\text{lim}_{x \to a} (f(x) \times g(x)).
    limx→af(x)×limx→ag(x)\text{lim}_{x \to a} f(x) \times \text{lim}_{x \to a} g(x). The limit of a product equals the product of individual limits.
  26. What is the limit of x2−3x+2x−2\frac{x^2 - 3x + 2}{x - 2} as xx approaches 2?
    1. Factor as $ (x-1)(x-2)/(x-2) = x-1 $, then substitute.
  27. State the property for the limit of a quotient: limx→af(x)g(x)\text{lim}_{x \to a} \frac{f(x)}{g(x)}.
    limx→af(x)limx→ag(x)\frac{\text{lim}_{x \to a} f(x)}{\text{lim}_{x \to a} g(x)}, if limx→ag(x)≠0\text{lim}_{x \to a} g(x) \neq 0. The limit of a quotient equals the quotient of limits when denominator is nonzero.
  28. What is the limit of exx\frac{e^x}{x} as xx approaches infinity?
    Infinity. Exponential growth dominates polynomial growth.
  29. Find the limit: limx→2x2−4x−2\text{lim}_{x \to 2} \frac{x^2 - 4}{x - 2}.
    4. Factor as (x−2)(x+2)/(x−2)=x+2(x-2)(x+2)/(x-2) = x+2, then substitute.
  30. Which property allows splitting limits: lim⁡x→a(f(x)+g(x))\lim_{x \to a} (f(x) + g(x))?
    Limit of a sum. This refers to the algebraic property that splits sums.
  31. State the property for the limit of a difference: limx→a(f(x)−g(x))\text{lim}_{x \to a} (f(x) - g(x)).
    limx→af(x)−limx→ag(x)\text{lim}_{x \to a} f(x) - \text{lim}_{x \to a} g(x). The limit of a difference equals the difference of individual limits.
  32. Evaluate: limx→0sin(3x)x\text{lim}_{x \to 0} \frac{\text{sin}(3x)}{x}.
    3. Use sin⁡(3x)x=3⋅sin⁡(3x)3x\frac{\sin(3x)}{x} = 3 \cdot \frac{\sin(3x)}{3x} and the fundamental limit.
  33. What is the limit of a constant cc as xx approaches any value?
    The limit is cc. Constants remain unchanged regardless of the variable's value.
  34. Identify the limit: limx→ac×f(x)\text{lim}_{x \to a} c \times f(x).
    c×limx→af(x)c \times \text{lim}_{x \to a} f(x). Constants factor out of limit expressions.
  35. Find the limit: limx→2(5x−3)\text{lim}_{x \to 2} (5x - 3).
    7. Direct substitution: 5(2)−3=10−3=75(2) - 3 = 10 - 3 = 7.
  36. Evaluate: lim⁡x→0tan⁡(x)x\lim_{x \to 0} \frac{\tan(x)}{x}.
    1. Since tan⁡(x)=sin⁡(x)/cos⁡(x)\tan(x) = \sin(x)/\cos(x) and cos⁡(0)=1\cos(0) = 1.
  37. Find the limit: limx→0sin(5x)x\text{lim}_{x \to 0} \frac{\text{sin}(5x)}{x}.
    5. Use sin⁡(5x)x=5⋅sin⁡(5x)5x\frac{\sin(5x)}{x} = 5 \cdot \frac{\sin(5x)}{5x} and the fundamental limit.
  38. What is the limit of 1x2\frac{1}{x^2} as xx approaches infinity?
    0. Higher powers in denominators approach zero faster.
  39. Find the limit of a polynomial f(x)f(x) as xx approaches aa.
    f(a)f(a). Polynomials are continuous, so use direct substitution.
  40. What is the limit of sin(x)x\frac{sin(x)}{x} as xx approaches 0?
    1. This is a fundamental trigonometric limit identity.
  41. What is the limit of f(x)=x×g(x)f(x) = x \times g(x) as xx approaches 0 and g(x)g(x) is bounded?
    0. If g(x)g(x) is bounded, then x⋅g(x)→0x \cdot g(x) \to 0 as x→0x \to 0.
  42. Find the limit: limx→0(1+x)1x\text{lim}_{x \to 0} (1 + x)^\frac{1}{x}.
    ee. This is the definition of ee as a limit.

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