# Multivariable Calculus: Limits

1. Sep 16, 2007

### kingwinner

1) lim [x(y^2)] / (x^2 + y^2)
(x,y)->(0,0)
Find the value of the given limit, if it exists.

Using polar coordinates, set x = r cos(theta), y = r sin(theta)
Then, the given limit = lim [r cos(theta) r^2 sin^2(theta)] / r^2
r->0
= lim r [cos(theta) sin^(theta)]
r->0
= 0 since cos(theta) sin^(theta)<=1, i.e. bounded

If I found that the limit is equal to 0 this way, can I conclude immediately that the original limit is 0 too?

What I believe is that for the part using polar coordinates r->0, it seems that it's appraoching the origin through straight lines paths ONLY, however my textbook says that "for the limit to exist, we must get the same result no matter which of the infinite number of paths is chosen"

2. Sep 16, 2007

### b0it0i

If I found that the limit is equal to 0 this way, can I conclude immediately that the original limit is 0 too?

yes you can

i believe when you switch to polar

and after simplification

if your equation is not a function of theta, then that is the limit

if your equation is still a function of theta, then the limit DNE

and you can also use lhopitals rule once you switch to polar
if the conditions are met

Last edited: Sep 16, 2007
3. Sep 16, 2007

### HallsofIvy

Staff Emeritus
No, you are not approaching "through straight lines only" because you are not assuming that $\theta$ is a constant. You need to show that the limit goes to 0 as r goes to 0, no matter what $\theta$ is. The real point is that, in polar coordinates, r measures exactly the distance to the origin, irrespective of $\theta$- and that is what must be made "less than $\delta$".

4. Sep 16, 2007

### kingwinner

"You need to show that the limit goes to 0 as r goes to 0, no matter what theta is" <---but this covers only the paths of all the straight lines through the origin, how about in the paths of parabolas and cube root function through the origin, etc?

5. Sep 16, 2007

### genneth

Because theta can be a function of r...

6. Sep 16, 2007

### kingwinner

But how does this help? Sorry, I am not getting it...

7. Sep 16, 2007

### genneth

It's a straight line iff theta is a constant. But the proof allows theta to vary arbitrarily, therefore, you're allowed curves.

8. Sep 16, 2007

### kingwinner

How can it be a curve if theta can vary?

9. Sep 16, 2007

### genneth

Consider the equation $$\theta = r$$. Plot it. Is it not a curve?

10. Sep 16, 2007

### arildno

It seems you are unsure of what theta really is.

What, precisely, does the variable theta measure?

11. Sep 16, 2007

### kingwinner

theta is a counterclockwise measure of "angle" from the positive x-axis, this is what makes me think of r->0 as (x,y) approaching (0,0) through straight lines only

12. Sep 16, 2007

### genneth

Did you try and plot the function \theta = r as I suggested? It is a straight line?

13. Sep 16, 2007

### kingwinner

Do you mean [r cos(r) r^2 sin^2(r)] / r^2 ?

By the way, we are taking the limit r->0, shouldn't theta be fixed?

14. Sep 17, 2007

### arildno

Why?
Any particular POINT can be uniquely specified by its distance from the origin, and the angle the line segment between the origin and the point makes with the positive x-axis.

By no means does this entail that all the points a particular curve consists of make the same angle to the positive x-axis with their respective line segments.

15. Sep 17, 2007

### genneth

No! That's the point! We DON'T have to fix theta!

16. Sep 17, 2007

### arildno

You can approach the origin by way of a straight line, but also by spiralling yourself inwards. And in many other ways as well.
Only if you approach the originalong a straight line will theta be constant.

17. Sep 18, 2007

### kingwinner

If theta is allowed to vary, will r->0 using polar coordinates cover ALL paths for which (x,y)->(0,0) ?

18. Sep 18, 2007

### genneth

Yes.

19. Sep 18, 2007

### HallsofIvy

Staff Emeritus
"Paths", in polar coordinates, depend only on r and $\theta$. If r ranges from, say, 1 to 0, while $\theta$ is allowed to have any value, then, yes, it covers all paths. More to the point is that in polar coordinates, r alone measures the distance from the origin which is what you want: ||(x,y)- (0,0)||= r< $\delta$.
As long as the limit, as r goes to 0, is a number, that is, independent of $\theta$ that number will be the limit.

Last edited: Sep 20, 2007
20. Sep 18, 2007

### genneth

I think part of the confusion might be this: a path near the origin, if it goes through it, can be well approximated by a straight line. Unfortunately, whilst that's intuitively true, analysis can always come back to bite us:

$$\theta = \pi sin(1/r)$$