Example Solution

Authors: Bill Davis, Horacio Porta, and Jerry Uhl ©1999

Producer: Bruce Carpenter

Publisher: Math Everywhere, Inc. Distributor: Wolfram Research, Inc.

EXAMPLE
SOLUTION

G.2) Line fundamentals*

G.2.b)

Put

What do you say are the limiting values

and

First, I'll enter this function in

Positive Infinity

I'll check out some values of f for large x's:

I'm guessing the limit is 2. If this is correct then a graph of f should flatten out at a height of 2 as x gets bigger. Let's check.

     Plot[f[x],{x,0,100000}]

2 it is then.

Negative Infinity

Let's go right to a graph.

     Plot[f[x],{x,-100000,0}]

Looks like 2 again.

The formula

It seems that both limits are 2. Does that make sense according to the formula? Let's take a look at the formula again...

When x is really really really big, the x6 term dominates. That means f[x] will look a lot like , which is the same as 2. So, 2, does seem like a good limit of f for positive or negative infinity.


Send questions or comments to website@socrates.math.ohio-state.edu Copyright © 1998-2009, Calculus&Mathematica