Why Does (sin(2x))/x Equal 2 as x Approaches 0?

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Homework Statement


I have the equation (sin(2x))/x = ?


The Attempt at a Solution



I know that the answer to this is 2, but I am not sure why (sin(2x))/x = 2

Can someone explain?

Thanks
 
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hahaha158 said:

Homework Statement


I have the equation (sin(2x))/x = ?


The Attempt at a Solution



I know that the answer to this is 2, but I am not sure why (sin(2x))/x = 2

Can someone explain?

(sin(2x))/x ≠ 2, so perhaps you are leaving something out of the problem. What is the complete problem statement?
 
Mark44 said:
(sin(2x))/x ≠ 2, so perhaps you are leaving something out of the problem. What is the complete problem statement?

Find the value of the constant a for which the function below is continuous everywhere. Fully
explain your reasoning.

... a+x2 while x≤0
f(x) = {
... (sin(2x))/x while x>0
 
The problem is really asking about limits, namely
$$ \lim_{x \to 0}\frac{sin(2x)}{x}$$

Do you know any other limits that involve trig functions?
 
Mark44 said:
The problem is really asking about limits, namely
$$ \lim_{x \to 0}\frac{sin(2x)}{x}$$

Do you know any other limits that involve trig functions?

I'm not sure what you mean by your question.

I know that $$ \lim_{x \to 0}\frac{sin(x)}{x}$$ is equal to 1

I also know that the limit as x approaches 0 from the negative and the limit at x=0 are both just equal to a.

So this means that a just equals $$ \lim_{x \to 0}\frac{sin(2x)}{x}$$

I know the answer to the question is 2 so that means $$ \lim_{x \to 0}\frac{sin(2x)}{x}$$ must equal 2 but I am not sure how to do it.
 
There are at least a couple of ways to go.
1) Double angle identity for sine
2) Adjust things so that you have sin(2x)/(2x) times some other stuff.
 
Mark44 said:
There are at least a couple of ways to go.
1) Double angle identity for sine
2) Adjust things so that you have sin(2x)/(2x) times some other stuff.

For 2) do you mean like

(sin(2x))/2x)*2

=so you get 1*2

=2?

Would that work?
 
(sin(2x))/ x = (sin2(1))/ 1
= sin(2)(1)/1
= sin(2)
= 0.0349
 
5ymmetrica1 said:
(sin(2x))/ x = (sin2(1))/ 1
= sin(2)(1)/1
= sin(2)
= 0.0349

That's the limit as x goes to 1, not 0.

hahaha158 said:
For 2) do you mean like

(sin(2x))/2x)*2

=so you get 1*2

=2?

Would that work?
Yep, exactly! This would be the simplest way to do it, so if you ever get a question like

[tex]\lim_{x\to 0}\frac{\sin(ax)}{b}[/tex] then this is equivalent to
[tex]\lim_{x\to 0}\frac{a}{b}\cdot\frac{\sin(ax)}{a}=\frac{a}{b}[/tex]