Confusing Limit Problem: Solving lim[x→-2¯(from the left)] x+2/sqrt(x^2-4)

  • Thread starter Thread starter collinito
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Confusing Limit
collinito
Messages
3
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


lim[x→-2¯(from the left)] x+2/sqrt(x^2-4)

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution


When I attempted this question I felt that the solution was that this is undefined and when i put it into my ti-89 it said that too. My friend argues that it's actually zero as that's what the leftbound limit approaches graphically. I am curious now to know the answer to this one
 
Physics news on Phys.org
collinito said:

Homework Statement


lim[x→-2¯(from the left)] x+2/sqrt(x^2-4)


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


When I attempted this question I felt that the solution was that this is undefined and when i put it into my ti-89 it said that too. My friend argues that it's actually zero as that's what the leftbound limit approaches graphically. I am curious now to know the answer to this one

Welcome to the PF. Can you use this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L'hospital's_rule

.
 
l'hopitals doesn't work, I already tried it, you still get a zero on the bottom.
 
collinito said:
l'hopitals doesn't work, I already tried it, you still get a zero on the bottom.

Maybe you do, but I don't. Can you show us your work using L'Hopital's rule?
 
x^2-4 = (x-2)(x+2)
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...

Similar threads

Back
Top