Lecture 7 : Indeterminate Forms

Recall that we calculated the following limit using geometry in Calculus 1:

sin x
= 1.
x0 x
lim

Definition An indeterminate form of the type

and denominator approach 0.

0
0

is a limit of a quotient where both numerator

Example
ex 1
x0 sin x
lim

x2
x ex
lim

Definition An indeterminate form of the type

and g(x) or .

lim

x 2

cos x
x 2

is a limit of a quotient

Example
x2 + 2x + 1
x
ex
lim

lim+

x0

x1
.
ln x

f (x)
g(x)

where f (x) or

LHospitals Rule Suppose lim stands for any one of

lim

xa

and

f (x)
g(x)

lim

lim

0
0

is an indeterminate form of type

If lim

f 0 (x)
g 0 (x)

lim

xa

xa+

or

lim

is a finite number L or is , then

lim

f (x)
g(x)

= lim

f 0 (x)
.
g 0 (x)

(Assuming that f (x) and g(x) are both differentiable in some open interval around a or (as appropriate) except possible at a, and that g 0 (x) 6= 0 in that interval).
Definition lim f (x)g(x) is an indeterminate form of the type 0 if
lim f (x) = 0

lim g(x) = .

and

Example limx x tan(1/x)

We can convert the above indeterminate form to an indeterminate form of type

f (x)
1/g(x)

f (x)g(x) =
or to an indeterminate form of the type

by writing

f (x)g(x) =
We them apply LHospitals rule to the limit.

g(x)
.
1/f (x)

0
0

by writing

Indeterminate Forms of the type 00 ,

1 .

0 ,

Type

Limit

00

lim [f (x)]g(x)

lim f (x) = 0

lim g(x) = 0

lim [f (x)]g(x) lim f (x) =

lim g(x) = 0

lim [f (x)]g(x)

lim g(x) =

lim f (x) = 1

Example limx0 (1 + x2 ) x .

Method
1. Look at lim ln[f (x)]g(x) = lim g(x) ln[f (x)].
2.
3.

Use LHospital to find lim g(x) ln[f (x)] = . ( might be finite or here. )
g(x)

Then limf (x)g(x) = lim eln[f (x)]

= e since ex is a continuous function. (where e should be
interpreted as and e should be interpreted as 0. )

Indeterminate Forms of the type occur when we encounter a limit of the form
lim(f (x) g(x)) where lim f (x) = lim g(x) = or lim f (x) = lim g(x) =
Example limx0+

1
x

1
sin x

To deal with these limits, we try to convert to the previous indeterminate forms by adding fractions
etc...
3

Try these Extra Fun Examples over Lunch

2x
x sin( 1 )
x
lim

lim+

x0

ln x
csc x

lim x tan(1/x)

lim+ (e2x 1) ln x

x0

lim (x) x1

x1

Lecture 7 : Indeterminate Forms

2x
lim
x sin( 1 )
x
(Note: You could use the sandwich theorem from Calc 1 for this if you prefer.)
This is an indeterminate form of type 00 . By LHospitals rule it equals:
(ln 2)2x
ln 2
2x
=
lim
lim
x 12 cos( 1 )
x cos( 1 ) x 12
x
x
x
x
lim

x2
x 2x
Applying LHospital again, we get that this equals
= (ln 2) lim

2x
x (ln 2)2x

(ln 2) lim

Applying LHospital a third time, we get that this equals

1
2(ln 2)
lim
=0
ln 2 x (ln 2)2x

lim+

x0

ln x
csc x

This is an indeterminate form of type

Applying LHospitals rule we get that it equals

lim

x0+

1/x
cos x
sin2 x

sin2 x
= lim+
x0
x cos x

sin2 x
1
sin2 x
= lim+
lim
= lim+
x0
x0+ cos x
x0
x
x
We can apply LHospitals rule again to get that the above limit equals
lim+

x0

2 sin x cos x
=0
1

lim x tan(1/x)

Rearranging this, we get an indeterminate form of type

tan(1/x)
lim
= lim
x
x
1/x

0
0
1
x2

sec2 (1/x)
1
x2

1
=1
x cos2 (1/x)

= lim

lim+ (e2x 1) ln x

x0
0

is an indeterminate form of type 0 . Using continuity of the exponential function, we get

1

limx0+ (e2x 1) ln x = elimx0+ ln((e

For

1
2x 1) ln x )

= elimx0+
lim+

x0

1
ln x

ln(e2x 1)

ln(e2x 1)
ln x

we apply LHospital to get:

ln(e2x 1)
lim+
= lim+
x0
x0
ln x

(2e2x )
e2x 1
1
x

= lim+
x0

(2xe2x )
e2x 1

We apply LHospital again to get :

= lim+
x0

(2(e2x + 2xe2x ))
=1
2e2x

Substiuting this into the original limit, we get

1

lim+ (e2x 1) ln x = e1 = e

x0

lim (x) x1

x1
1

lim (x) x1 = elimx1 ln(x

x1

1
x1

= elimx1 ln(x

1
x1

Focusing on the power we get

lim ln(x

1
x1

x1

This is an indeterminate form of type

0
0

ln x
x1 x 1

) = lim

so we can apply LHospitals rule to get

ln x
1/x
= lim
=1
x1 x 1
x1 1
Substitution this for the power of e above we get
lim

lim (x) x1 = e1 = e

x1

lim

x2 + ln x x

This is an indeterminate form of type

x2 + ln x + x
x2 + ln x x2
= lim ( x2 + ln x x)
= lim
x
x2 + ln x + x x x2 + ln x + x
ln x
= lim
x
x2 + ln x + x

This in an indeterminate form of type

lim

We can apply LHospital to get

ln x
= lim
x2 + ln x + x x

1/x
2x+1/x

2 x2 +ln x

+1

We calculate

2x + 1/x
lim
x 2 x2 + ln x
by dividing the numerator and denominator by x to get
2 + 1/x2
2x + 1/x
= lim q
lim
x
x 2 x2 + ln x
2 1 + ln2x
x

Applying LHospital to get lim ln x/x2 = lim 1/2x2 = 0, we get

2x + 1/x
=1
lim
x 2 x2 + ln x
and using this, we get
lim

ln x
= lim
x2 + ln x + x x

1/x
2x+1/x

2 x2 +ln x

+1

0
=0
2

Now this gives

lim

x2 + ln x x = lim
x

ln x
=0
x2 + ln x + x