Calculus Help with Limits (check my work please)

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around limits in calculus, specifically evaluating the behavior of functions as they approach certain points. The original poster presents several limit problems, seeking verification of their answers and guidance on those they found challenging.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the behavior of functions as they approach specific values, questioning what happens to the expressions when x is near those points. They discuss the continuity of piecewise functions and the implications of indeterminate forms like 0/0.

Discussion Status

Some participants have offered insights into the nature of the limits and the continuity of the functions involved. There is an ongoing exploration of the implications of the limits, particularly regarding the behavior of the functions near the points of interest.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that certain expressions lead to indeterminate forms, prompting discussions about factoring and cancellation. The original poster expresses uncertainty about specific answers, indicating a need for further clarification on the concepts involved.

NinjaLink
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[SOLVED] Calculus Help with Limits (check my work please)

Some problems, I just couldn't do on my own, but I've done some problems with answers provided here. Please check my work and show me how to do the problems I couldn't do. I would appreciate it.


Problem 1:

Lim
x--> 3^- (left side)
x--> 3^+ (right side)
x--> 3

Expression:

|x+3| / (x-3) <== absolute value expression

--------------------------

Problem 2:

lim x--> 3^-(left side)

f(x) , where

5x-7 if x is less than or equal to 3
and
x^2+1 if x is greater than 3

Answer: f(x) = 8 (I'm not sure if it is right. Correct me if I'm wrong)

---------------------------

Problem 3:

lim
x-->3

(x^2-2x-3)/(x^2-6x+9)

Answer: 1 (I'm not sure if it is right. Correct me if I'm wrong)

---------------------------

Problem 4:

lim
x--> 2^- (left side)
x--> 2^+ (right side)

(3x+1)/(x-2)

--------------------------

Problem 5:

lim
x-->3

(2x+6)/(x)

Answer: 4 (I couldn't figure it out whether it was 4 or 8.)
 
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NinjaLink said:
Some problems, I just couldn't do on my own, but I've done some problems with answers provided here. Please check my work and show me how to do the problems I couldn't do. I would appreciate it.


Problem 1:

Lim
x--> 3^- (left side)
x--> 3^+ (right side)
x--> 3

Expression:

|x+3| / (x-3) <== absolute value expression
What happens if x is close to 3? Suppose x= 3.001 or x= 2.999. What is |x+3|/(x-3) in each of those cases? What happens if x is even closer to 3?
--------------------------

Problem 2:

lim x--> 3^-(left side)

f(x) , where

5x-7 if x is less than or equal to 3
and
x^2+1 if x is greater than 3

Answer: f(x) = 8 (I'm not sure if it is right. Correct me if I'm wrong)
If x< 3 which is what "3-" means, then f(x)= 5x-7. That's linear so continuous so the limit is just f(3)= 5(3)- 7= 8.

---------------------------

Problem 3:

lim
x-->3

(x^2-2x-3)/(x^2-6x+9)

Answer: 1 (I'm not sure if it is right. Correct me if I'm wrong)
That's a rational function so it's continuous wherever the denominator is not 0. Does that happen here? if x= 3, it is (32- 2(3)-3)/(32- 6(3)+ 9)= (9- 6- 3)/(9- 18+ 9)= 0/0. We can't just set x= 3 and find the limit. But the fact that both numerator and denominator are 0 at x= 3 tells us that x- 3 is a factor of each:
(x2- 2x- 3)/(x2- 6x+ 9)= (x- 3)(x+ 1)/(x- 3)(x- 3). As long as x is not 3, we can cancel the two (x-3) factors: (x+1)/(x- 3). Now what is the limit of that as x goes to 3?

---------------------------

Problem 4:

lim
x--> 2^- (left side)
x--> 2^+ (right side)

(3x+1)/(x-2)
Again, what happens if x is very close to 2? What if x= 2.0001? What if x= 1.999?
Notice that in both this and problem 1, the denominator is 0 at the "target" point but the numerator is not

--------------------------

Problem 5:

lim
x-->3

(2x+6)/(x)

Answer: 4 (I couldn't figure it out whether it was 4 or 8.)
What is that fraction equal to when x= 3? Why would you even think "8"?
 
Will problem 4 be x = negative infinity and x = negative infinity?
 
hello?
 
NinjaLink said:
Will problem 4 be x = negative infinity and x = negative infinity?
Close, but no cigar.
NinjaLink said:
hello?
Hi there :-p
 
NinjaLink said:
Will problem 4 be x = negative infinity and x = negative infinity?
No, problem 4 tells you that x will be close to 3. It doesn't ask for values of x!
 

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