Week 2 - The Precise Definition of a Limit

Shi, Bo-An 施柏安

Class#07 Calculus 1 TA, NTU (Ver.1)

September 13, 2023

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Table of Contents

1 The Precise Definition of a Limit

2 Infinite Limits

3 Advanced Topics and Conclusion

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 The Precise Definition of a Limit

1 The Precise Definition of a Limit

2 Infinite Limits

3 Advanced Topics and Conclusion

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 The Precise Definition of a Limit

The Intuition of a Limit

We have learned the intuition of a limit:

lim f (x) = L
x→a

says that we can make the values of f (x) arbitrarily close to L by

restricting x to be sufficiently close to a but not equal to a.

However, the intuition is okay only for some “cute” functions. For some
weird functions, the intuition may fail.
For example, given f : R → R,
{
1 if x = n1 for some n ∈ N
f (x) =
x otherwise

does lim f (x) exist?

x→0

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 The Precise Definition of a Limit

From Intuition to Precise Definition

The intuition can be described as a game:

I claim that lim x2 = 4.

x→2
OK, could you let f (x) close to 4
with error less than 0.1?
Yes! If 1.98 < x < 2.02,
then 3.9204 < x2 < 4.0804.
Now please let f (x) close to 4
with error less than 0.01.
Hmm... 1.998 < x < 2.002,
then 3.992004 < x2 < 4.008004.
I’m tired from asking more questions, so let me
just ask you the last question. For every error ε > 0,
can you find an open interval such that |f (x) − 4| < ϵ?

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 The Precise Definition of a Limit

The Precise Definition of a Limit

Definition (The Precise Definition of an Limit)

Let f be a function defined on some open interval that contains the
number a, except possibly at a itself. Then we write

lim f (x) = L
x→a

if for every number ε > 0, there is a δ > 0 (depending on ε) such that

if 0 < |x − a| < δ then |f (x) − L| < ε

The precise definition of a limit conforms to our intuition. No matter how

close we require f (x) to approach to L (|f (x) − L| < ε), we can always
restrict x within the δ-neighborhood of a (0 < |x − a| < δ) to meet the
requirement.
https://www.desmos.com/calculator/m2wajnfmyg?lang=zh-CN
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 The Precise Definition of a Limit

Exercise

1 Exercise 1
2 lim x2 = 4
x→2

Solution
Write down the statement:
For every number ε > 0, there is a δ > 0 (depending on ε) such that
if 0 < |x − 2| < δ then |x2 − 4| < ε.
Find out δ as a function of ε:
|x − 2||x + 2| < ε ⇒ |x − 2| < |x+2|ε ε
. We can not directly let δ = |x+2|
since δ should not depend on x.
Instead, we always choose δ ≤ 1 for all ε given (or other reasonable
constants). For δ ≤ 1, 3 < |x + 2| < 5 is bounded, then
|x − 2||x + 2| < δ · 5. To satisfy |x2 − 4| < ε, we must choose δ ≤ 5ϵ .
Consider the two constraints of δ, we let δ = min{1, 5ε }.
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 Infinite Limits

1 The Precise Definition of a Limit

2 Infinite Limits

3 Advanced Topics and Conclusion

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 Infinite Limits

The Precise Definition of Limit Does Not Exist

Sometimes we want to prove the limit does not exist. In this case, we
need to prove its converse statement:
Definition (Limit Does Not Exist)
The limit of f (x) as x approaches a does not exists if for every L, there is
a number ε > 0 such that for every δ > 0,
there is an x that satisfies 0 < |x − a| < δ and |f (x) − L| ≥ ϵ.

We can express the definition by logic. The limit exists:

∃ L, ∀ ε > 0, ∃ δ > 0 s.t. ∀ x, 0 < |x − a| < δ ⇒ |f (x) − L| < ε

The limit does not exists:

∀ L, ∃ ε > 0, ∀ δ > 0 s.t. ∃ x, 0 < |x − a| < δ ⇒ |f (x) − L| ≥ ε

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 Infinite Limits

The Precise Definition of an Infinite Limit

Sometimes the limit of a function as x approaches a does not exists, and

it seems to continue growing to infinity as x approaches a.
We have a similar precise definition for infinite limits:
Definition (The Precise Definition of an Infinite Limit)
Let f be a function deined on some open interval that contains the
number a, except possibly at a itself. Then

lim f (x) = ∞
x→a

means that for every number N > 0 there is a number δ > 0 such that

if 0 < |x − a| < δ then f (x) > N

We can consider the meaning of ∞ as “for any number N > 0, the

number is greater than N ”.
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 Infinite Limits

Exercise
1
Prove lim = ∞.
x→−3 (x + 3)4

Solution
Write down the statement:
For every number N > 0, there is a number δ > 0 such that
1
if 0 < |x + 3| < δ then >N
(x + 3)4
1
Easy to find out that δ = √
4 .
N

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 Infinite Limits

Generalization of Limits

Now, you should be able to write down the statements of all kinds of limit.
(Exercise 2(b), Exercise 3(a))
Limit: L, ∞(−∞), does not exist
Approach: x → a, x → a+ (a− ), x → ∞(−∞)

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 Advanced Topics and Conclusion

1 The Precise Definition of a Limit

2 Infinite Limits

3 Advanced Topics and Conclusion

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 Advanced Topics and Conclusion

Some Weird Functions

Most of functions we have seen are continuous, or piece-wise continuous,

which are easy to guess and find out their limits. However, there are
functions that are hard to determine whether their limits exist using
intuition.
Dirichlet Function:
{
0, x is rational
f (x) =
1, x is irrational

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 Advanced Topics and Conclusion

Some Weird Functions

Thomae’s Function
{ p(∈Z)
1
, if x is rational and x = q(∈N) , p, q coprime
f (x) = q
0, if x is irrational

Figure: Thomae’s Function at [0, 1]

Check the ϵ-δ definition (and some basic properties of real numbers), and
we can find out the limit (or prove the limit does not exist)!

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 Advanced Topics and Conclusion

Conclusion

1 The same definition can be applied to higher dimensional case (you

will learn it in Calculus 3).
2 The ϵ-δ language is so useful for rigorous proofs in mathematical
analysis.
3 Don’t be scared and try to get a sense of this definition.

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