Vanrichten
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The discussion revolves around the evaluation of limits, particularly the limit of the function $\sin(x)/x$ as $x$ approaches 0, and the implications of using Taylor series for justification. Participants also explore the validity of taking limits consecutively in multivariable contexts.
Participants express differing views on the validity of certain limit operations and the interpretation of the limit of $\sin(x)/x$. No consensus is reached on the correctness of the limit-taking methods discussed.
The discussion highlights potential limitations in the assumptions made about continuity and the conditions under which limits can be taken consecutively. There are unresolved questions regarding the general applicability of these limit properties.
So, how would I rewrite this? I'm not really sure =/Evgeny.Makarov said:The answer is correct, but I have a couple of remarks. First, you wrote two times that $\sin(x)/x$ literally equals 1. In fact, $\sin(x)/x\ne1$ for all $x\in\mathbb{R}$. The familiar relationship between $\sin(x)/x$ and 1 always involves limits.
Second, in the last line you seem you use the fact that \[
\lim_{(x,y)\to(x_0,y_0)} f(x,y)=\lim_{y\to y_0} f\left(\lim_{x\to x_0} f(x,y), y\right)
\]
i.e., that you can take limits consecutively. I believe this is not even true in general when $f$ is continuous at $(x_0,y_0)$.
That makes perfect sense ! Awesome thank you so much.Evgeny.Makarov said:If you want to justify $\lim_{x\to0}\sin(x)/x$ using Taylor series, then you say that by Taylor's theorem,
\[
\sin x=x+\alpha(x)x
\]
where $\alpha(x)\to0$ as $x\to0$. Then $\sin(x)/x=1+\alpha(x)$, so
\[
\lim_{x\to0}\sin(x)/x= \lim_{x\to0}(1+\alpha(x)) =\lim_{x\to0}1+ \lim_{x\to0}\alpha(x)=1
\]
Using small-o notation,
\[
\lim_{x\to0}\sin(x)/x= \lim_{x\to0}(x+o(x))/x
=\lim_{x\to0}(1+o(1))=1
\]
Concerning the last line, I just wasn't sure what fact you relied on. You can split the limit into the product of limits because both of them exist.
\[
\lim_{(x,y)\to(0,1)}\frac{y\sin x}{x(y+1)} =
\left(\lim_{(x,y)\to(0,1)}\frac{\sin x}{x}\right) \left(\lim_{(x,y)\to(0,1)}\frac{y}{y+1}\right)
\]
Now since both functions depend on only one argument, we can use
\[
\lim_{(x,y)\to(x_0,y_0)}f(x) =\lim_{x\to x_0}f(x)
\]
and similarly for $y$, which follow easily from the definition of limits. So,
\[
\lim_{(x,y)\to(0,1)}\frac{\sin x}{x}= \lim_{x\to0}\frac{\sin x}{x}=1
\]
and
\[
\lim_{(x,y)\to(0,1)}\frac{y}{y+1}= \lim_{x\to1}\frac{y}{y+1}=\frac{1}{2}
\]
All in all,
\[
\lim_{(x,y)\to(0,1)}\frac{y\sin x}{x(y+1)} =
1\cdot\frac{1}{2}=\frac{1}{2}
\]