INDETERMINATE FORMS

MATH146
Calculus 1
 Objectives

At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to

• Identify and distinguish different indeterminate forms of functions;
• apply the theorems on differentiation in evaluating limits of
indeterminate forms of functions using L’Hopital’s Rule; and
• show patience in dealing with problems involving indeterminate forms
of functions.
Lesson 5: Indeterminate Forms and L’Hopital’s Rule
x2  4 x  3
Re call : Evaluate the lim it of lim
x 1 x 1
x 2  4 x  3 ( 1 )2  4( 1 )  3 0
lim  
x 1 x 1 11 0
the limit is an indeterminate form, and for the
limit to exist, we factor the numerator as follows :

lim
x2  4 x  3
 lim
x - 1x  3  lim x - 3  1  3  2
x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1

x2  4x  3
thus , lim  2
x 1 x 1
sin 2x
Let us consider evaluating the lim
x 0 2x
sin 2x sin 2( 0 ) sin( 0 ) 0
lim   
x 0 2x 2( 0 ) 0 0
Obviously, the principle applied in the previous problems can no
longer be applied to the second example.
To evaluate the said limit Theorems on L' Hopital' s Rule will be used.
• Kinds of indeterminate forms :
A. Primary Forms :
0
1. and
0

2.

B. Secondary Forms :
3. 0  
4.  -  and

5. 0 ,  , 1
0 0
•
•
• Examples. Evaluate the limits of the following.
• 1. lim
sin 2x 2. lim
tan y - 3y
y0 y - sin 3y
x0 2x
tan0  - 30  0  0
sin 20  sin0  0
tan y - 3y 0
sin 2x lim   
lim    y 0 0  - sin30  0  0 0
20 
y - sin 3y
x 0 2x 0 0 By LHR :
By u sin g L' Hopital' s Rule :
tan y - 3y
d
tan y - 3y  sec 2 y  31
d
sin 2x  cos 2 x 2 lim  lim dx  lim
lim
sin 2x
 lim dx  lim
y 0 y - sin 3y y 0 d
 y - sin 3y  y 0 1 - cos 3y 3
x 0 2x x 0 d
2x  x 0 21 dx
dx

sec0   3 1  3  2
2
  1
2 cos 20  1 - 3cos0 1 3  2
  cos 0  1
2 tan y - 3y
sin 2x  lim 1
 lim 1 y 0 y - sin 3y
x 0 2x
 ln sin 2x  Note :
3. lim
x

4
  4 x 2
ln 1  0
    
ln sin 2   ln sin  ln    
ln sin 2x    4   2 0 ln 0   
lim   
x
   4 x 2
   
2
0 0
4
   4  
  4 

By LHR :

ln sin 2x  cos 2 x 2
d 1
ln sin 2x  dx sin 2x
lim  lim  lim
x
   4 x 2
x
 d
  4 x 2 x
 2  4 x  4 
4 4 4
dx
  
2 cot 2  2cot
2cot 2x 4  2 0
lim   
  8   4 x   80 
x     0
4  8   4  
  4 
This is still in det er min ate
 Re peat LHR :
d
2 cot 2x  
2  csc 2 2 x 2  4 csc 2 2 x
lim dx  lim  lim
x
 d
 8  4 x  4x
  8 ( 4 ) x
 32
4 4
dx
2
1   
 lim - csc 2 x    csc 2     1  
1 2 1 2 1
x

4
8 8  4  8 8

ln sin2x 1
 lim  
x

4
  4 x 2 8
 x2
4. lim x
x   e

x 2    
2
 lim x    
x   e e 
By LHR :

x2
d 2
dx
 
x
2x 2    
lim  lim  lim  
x   e x 1
 

x   e x x   d x
e e 
dx
Re peat LHR :
d
2x 21 2 2
  lim dx  lim x    0
x   e 1
x  

dx
 
d x
e e 

x2
 lim x  0
x   e
 ln cos 3x
• 5. lim
x
 ln tan 3x
6
Note :
 
ln cos 3  ln cos  ln 1  0
ln cos 3x 6   2  ln 0   - 
 lim
x
 ln tan 3x

   ln    ln    
ln tan 3  ln tan
ln 0   
6
6  2
Apply LHR :

ln cos 3x
d
ln cos 3x
1
 sin 3 x 3
lim  lim dx  lim cos3x
ln tan 3x x 6 1 sec 2 3 x 3
 ln tan 3x  d 
x x
6 6
dx tan 3 x
sin 2 3 x
 3 tan 3x  tan 2 3 x  cos 2
3x
lim 
 lim   
   lim
  1   2  1
x
6   sec 2
3 x  3 x
6
 sec 3 x  x
6
 tan 3 x  cos 2 3 x
2
  
 lim sin 3 x    sin 3    1
2

x

6
 6 
ln cos 3x
 lim  1
 ln tan 3x
x
6
 The INDETERMIN ATE FORMS 0   and  - 
Defininiti on :
A. If f  x  and g  x  are two differentiable functions such that lim f  x   0
xa

and lim g  x   0 (which could be signed or unsigned),the product of

xa

f  x  and g  x  is undefined having the form 0   or   0 as x

approaches its limit.To evaluate such limit, their products is transformed
to an equivalent one. Hence ,
f x 
lim f  x   g  x   lim 1
xa xa g x 

0 
then the limit is evaluated which may result to or . In either of the
0 
case L' Hopital' s Rule applies.
 Examples:
Evaluate the limits of the following.
1. lim x csc 2x
x0

lim x csc 2x  0csc 0  0  

x 0

Transfor min g the function to an equivalent rational function :

lim x csc 2x  lim

x 0 0
 
x 0 x 0 sin2x sin 0 0
Apply LHR :

x
d
x 1 1
lim  lim dx  lim  lim
x 0 sin2x x0 d sin2x x0 cos2x 2  x 0 2cos2x
dx
 limx csc 2x 
1 1 1
  
2(cos 0 ) 2 x 0 2
2. lim x ln x
x0

lim x ln x  0 ln 0   0   
x 0

Transfor min g the given function to an equivalent function :

ln x ln 0  
lim x ln x  lim  
x 0 x 0 1 1 
x 0
Apply LHR :
d
ln x 1
1
 lim x   0
ln x
lim  lim dx  lim x
x 0 1 x 0 d  1  x 0 1 x 0

x dx  x  x2

 lim x ln x  0
x 0
• 3. lim 
 1

1 
x 1
 ln x x  1 
 1 1  1 1 1 1
lim         
x 1
 ln x x  1  ln 1 1  1 0 0

Trnsfor min g to a simple fraction :

lim 
 1

1 
 lim
x  1  ln x  1  1  ln 1  0
x 1
 ln x x  1  x1 x - 1 ln x 1 - 1 ln 1 0

Apply LHR :
 1 
d
 x  1  ln x   1  1
 1 1  dx  x 
lim    lim  lim
x 1
 ln x x  1  x 1 d  x - 1 ln x  x 1
x  1 1 1  ln x 1
dx  x

x -1
x x 1 11 0
 lim  lim  
x 1 x - 1  x ln x x 1 x - 1  x ln x 1  1  1 ln 1 0
x
 Apply again LHR :
• d
x - 1
 lim
x - 1  lim dx  lim
1
x 1 x - 1  x ln x x 1 d
x - 1  x ln x  x 1
1 x
1
1  ln x 1
dx x
1 1 1
 lim  
x 1 2  ln x 2  ln 1 2
 1 1  1
 lim    
x 1
 ln x x  1  2

 1 1 
4. lim  2  2
x 0
 x x sec 2 x 
1 1  1 1 1 1
lim  2  2       -
x 0
x x sec 2 x  0 0sec 0  0 0
Transfor min g to the equivalent function :
1 1   1 cos 2 x   1 - cos2x  1  cos 20  0
lim  2  2   lim  x 2   lim  
x 0
 x x sec 2 x  x0 x 2  x0  x 2  0 0
• Apply LHR :

 1 - cos2x 
d
1 - cos2x   sin 2 x 2  sin 20  0
lim   lim dx  lim  

 x   
2
x 0 x 0 d x 0 2x 0 0
x2
dx
Apply LHR again :

sin 2 x 
d
sin 2 x  cos 2 x 2 1  lim 2 cos 2 x  2 cos 0  2
lim  lim dx  lim
x 0 x x 0 d
x  x 0 1 x 0

dx

1 1 
 lim  2  2  2
x 0
 x x sec 2 x 
 
The INDETERMINATE FORMS 0 ,  , and 1
0 0

Defininition :
Given two functions f  x  and g  x , and if :
 lim f  x   0 , and lim g  x   0 , or
xa xa

 lim f  x    , and lim g  x   0 , or

xa xa

 lim f  x   1, and lim g  x   

xa xa

or as x approaches  then the expression lim  f  x 

g x
  or - 
xa

assumed the in det er min ate forms 0 0 ,  0 , 1 , respectively.

These indeterminate forms may be evaluated by letting a variable y
for the function, then apply the properties of logarithm and then
LHR.
 Examples:
Evaluate the limits of the following.
5. lim 2 x 
x
Apply LHR :
x 0

lim 2 x  2 0   0
x 0 0
d
ln 2 x 
1
2 
 lim x   0
ln 2 x
x 0 lim  lim dx  2x
x 0 1 x 0 d 1  1 x 0
Let y  2 x
dx  x 
x
x x2
ln y  ln 2 x 
x
ln 2 x
lim ln y  lim 0
ln y  x ln 2x 
ln 2 x x 0 x 0 1
1 x
x lim ln y  0
x 0
Apply the lim it on both sides :
ln 2 x ln 20  ln 0   Take the inverse function of both sides :
lim ln y  lim   
x 0 x 0 1 1   lim y  e0  lim y  1
x 0 x 0
x 0
since y  2x 
x

then therefore lim 2x   1

x
x 0
 Thus ,
6. lim x 
1
x 1
x 1 ln x
lim  lim ln y  1, take the inverse function of both sides :
x 1 x  1
lim x   1  1  1
1 1 1 x 1

x 1 11 0

lim y  e but y  x 
x 1 1
1
x 1

Let y  x 
1
x 1
x 1

 lim x   e  2.71
1
x 1
ln y  ln x   ln x  
11 ln x
x 1 x 1
x 1 x 1
Applying the lim it on both sides as x  1 :
7. lim cot x x

x 0 

ln x ln 1 0 lim cot x   cot 0   0

x 0
lim ln y  lim  
x 1 x 1 x  1 11 0 x 0

Let y  cot x 
x
Apply LHR on the right member :

ln x
d
ln x 
1
1 1 1 ln y  ln cot x   x ln cot x 
x ln cot x
lim  lim dx  lim x  lim  1
x 1 x  1 x 1 d
x  1 x1 1 x1 x 1 x
dx
 Apply the limit on both sides :
ln cot x Apply LHR again :
lim ln y  lim
x 0 x 0 1
2x 2
d

2x2  4x 2x
x lim  lim dx  lim  lim
lim
ln cot 0  ln  
 
x 0 sin 2 x x 0 d
sin 2 x  x0 cos 2 x 2  x0 cos 2 x
x 0 1   dx 20  0
  0
0 cos 0  1
Apply LHR on right member :
Hence ,
ln cot x
d
ln cot x 
1
 
 csc 2 x 1 ln cot x
lim  lim dx  lim cot x lim  lim ln y  0 , take the inverse function of both sides
x 0 1 x 0 d 1 x 0 1 x 0 1 x 0
  
x dx  x  x2 x
sin x  1  lim y  e0  1
1 x 0
 
cos x  sin x 
2
sin x cos x 2  x2 Since y  cot x  then
x
 lim cot x   1
x
 lim  lim  lim
x 0 1 x 0 1 x 0 2  sin x cos x x 0
 2  2
x x
20 
2
2x2 0
 lim  
x 0 sin 2 x sin0  0
 Exercises. Evaluate the limits of the following.
2 x  tan x
6.limcos 2 x  sin 2 x 
1

 
1. lim 2
x 0 sin 4 x x 0
x
11.lim 1  sin x 2
x2
x 0
 1 1  x
2.lim 2  2 
  2

 
2
y 0 sin y
 y  7. lim  1  e 
x
12.lim e  3 x x x
x 0 x 0
 
2x
3.lim  1 1  ln cos 2 x
x 0 sin 1 x 8.lim   13. lim
x 0 ln1  x  1 
 tan 2 x  x
4
ln tan 2 x
 y2 
4.lim     
4
9.lim 1  x 14. lim cos 1 x ln x
y 0 ln cos y 
2 x
  x 0 x 0

ln 2 x 
3  3x2 
10. lim  2 x  x 0

15.lim sin 1 x csc x  
x  e
5. lim  
x   3x