Limits at Infinity and Infinite Limits

Limits at infinity

We get an infinite limit when we arrive at an undefined answer after evaluating a limit using direct
substitution. Below are examples of limits where we get an undefined answer by direct substitution:

2𝑥−1
1. lim
𝑥→−2+ 𝑥+2

−5
(substituting -2 to both the numerator and denominator will give us 0
)

𝑥3
2. lim− (𝑥−3)2
𝑥→3

5𝑥 2
3. lim+
𝑥→4 16−𝑥 2

2 3
4. lim ( − 𝑥2)
𝑥→0+ 𝑥

𝑥 3 +2𝑥 2 −3𝑥
5. lim+
𝑥→4 𝑥 2 −5𝑥+4

How do we get the limits of the functions above?

𝑓(𝑥)
For lim 𝑔(𝑥) ,
𝑥→𝑐

Step 1: Substitute c to f(x).

Step 2: Substitute a value very close to c to g(x)

Step 3: Determine the sign of the numerator and the denominator. If we “divide” the signs and get a
negative, the limit is -∞. If we “divide” the signs and get a positive, the limit is ∞.
Examples:
2𝑥−1
1. lim
𝑥→−2+ 𝑥+2

Step 1. Substitute c to f(x).

2𝑥 − 1
lim
𝑥→−2+ 𝑥+2

2(−2)−1
= lim +
𝑥→−2 𝑥+2

−5
= lim +
𝑥→−2 𝑥+2

Step 2. Substitute a number very close to c to g(x).

In this case, our c is -2 but the values being referred to are values approaching 2 from
the right, hence -2+. A number very close to -2 from the right is -1.99. Substituting -1.99 to g(x),

−5
= lim + −1.99 +2
𝑥→−2

−5
= lim + 0.01
𝑥→−2

Step 3. Determine the sign of the numerator and the denominator.

The numerator, -5, has a negative sign while the denominator, 0.01 has a positive sign. A
negative divided by a positive gives negative. Therefore,

2𝑥−1
lim = -∞
𝑥→−2+ 𝑥+2

𝑥3
2. lim− (𝑥−3)2
𝑥→3

33
lim−
𝑥→3 (𝑥 − 3)2
9
= lim− (𝑥−3)2
𝑥→3
 9
= lim−
(2.99 − 3)2
𝑥→3
9
= lim−
𝑥→3 0.0001

= +∞

Try numbers 3-5 in page 1.

Limits at Infinity

When we determine the limit of a certain function as the x-values approach either -∞ or +∞, we refer to
determining the limits at infinity. Below are examples.

3𝑥 4 −5𝑥 3 +2𝑥
1. lim
𝑥→∞ 2𝑥 5 +4𝑥 2 −7

8𝑦 6 −3𝑦
2. lim
𝑦→−∞ 𝑦−11

√𝑥 2 +9
3. lim
𝑦→∞ 𝑥+2

Before knowing how to evaluate limits at infinity, there is a theorem we need to remember:

The limit of a constant k divided by a variable x raised to the power of a positive integer n as x
approaches either -∞ or +∞ is always 0. Equivalently:
𝑘 𝑘
𝑙𝑖𝑚 =0 𝑙𝑖𝑚 =0
𝑦→−∞ 𝑥 𝑛 𝑦→+∞ 𝑥 𝑛

Steps in finding the limit at infinity:

Step 1. Factor out the literal coefficient of the leading coefficient from both the numerator and
denominator.

Step 2. Simplify.

Step 3. Take the limits of the terms inside the parenthesis.

Step 4. Simplify and evaluate the limit.

Example:

𝟑𝒙𝟒 −𝟓𝒙𝟑 +𝟐𝒙

1. 𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝒙→∞ 𝟐𝒙𝟓 +𝟒𝒙𝟐 −𝟕

Step 1. Factor out the literal coefficient of the leading coefficient from both the numerator and
denominator. (The literal coefficient being referred to here is the variable with the highest exponent)

5 2
𝑥 4 (3 −+ )
𝑥 𝑥3
lim
𝑥→∞ 5 4 7
𝑥 (2 + 3 − 5 )
𝑥 𝑥

Step 2. Simplify

5 2
(3 − 𝑥 + 3 )
lim 𝑥
𝑥→∞ 4 7
𝑥(2 + 3 − 5 )
𝑥 𝑥

Step 3. Take the limits of the terms inside the parenthesis.

(3 − 0 + 0)
lim
𝑥→∞ 𝑥(2 + 0 − 0)

Step 4. Simplify and evaluate the limit.

3
lim
𝑥→∞ 2𝑥

3 1
lim ∙
𝑥→∞ 2 𝑥

3 1
lim ∙ lim
𝑥→∞ 2 𝑥→∞ 𝑥

𝟖𝒚𝟔 −𝟑𝒚
2. 𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝒚→−∞ 𝒚−𝟏𝟏

8𝑦 6 − 3𝑦
lim
𝑦→−∞ 𝑦 − 11
 3
𝑦 6 (8 −
)
𝑦5
= lim
𝑦→−∞ 11
𝑦(1 − 𝑦 )

𝑦 5 (8 − 0)
= lim
𝑦→−∞ (1 − 0)

= lim 8𝑦 5
𝑦→−∞

Since y is approaching -∞, we imagine substituting a very large negative number to y.

When raised to the power of 5 then multiplied to positive 8 (8𝑦 5 ), it will give us a negative
number. Therefore,

lim 8𝑦 5 = −∞
𝑦→−∞

When in doubt, we can always refer to these theorems:

For limits at infinity,

a. When the degree of the numerator is less than that of the denominator, the limit is 0.
b. When the degree of the numerator is equal to that of the denominator, the limit is the ratio
between the leading coefficient of the numerator a and the leading coefficient of the
𝑎
denominator b 𝑏
c. When the degree of the numerator is greater than that of the denominator, then the limit is
at -∞ or +∞.