Beauty of Calculus!

Calculus Level 3

lim x 0 ( 1 x ) x \large \lim_{x \to 0} \left( \frac{1}{x}\right )^{x}

Find the limit above if it exists.

Notations :

  • e 2.71828 e \approx 2.71828 is the Euler's number .
  • ! ! denotes the factorial function. For example, 8 ! = 1 × 2 × 3 × × 8 8! = 1\times2\times3\times\cdots\times8 .
0 ! 0! e e e 2 e^2 0 0 Limit does not exist

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2 solutions

展豪 張
May 31, 2016

Let the limit be A A .
Then ln A = lim x 0 x ln ( 1 x ) \displaystyle\ln A=\lim_{x\to 0}x\ln(\frac 1x) (from continuity of logarithm)
The right side limit = lim x 0 + ln ( 1 x ) 1 x = L H lim x 0 + 1 x 1 x 2 = 0 \displaystyle=\lim_{x\to 0^+}\frac{\ln(\frac 1x)}{\frac 1x}\overset{LH}=\lim_{x\to 0^+}\frac{-\frac 1x}{-\frac 1{x^2}}=0
However, the left side limit does not exist, as ln 1 x \ln \frac 1x is not defined for x < 0 x<0
So the limit does not exist.

Perfect +1 :-)

akash patalwanshi - 5 years ago

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Thank you =D

展豪 張 - 5 years ago

@akash patalwanshi , sorry, but I have been editing the wording of your problem. I was given the right to do so to standardize the problems. No need to change it back. My English is okay.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 5 years ago

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Sir no need to say sorry. The problem now look more standard.

akash patalwanshi - 5 years ago

Note that the limit on the left doesn't exist, since ln 1 x \ln \frac{1}{x} is not defined for x < 0 x < 0 .

Calvin Lin Staff - 4 years, 11 months ago

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I maybe wrong but isn't it that at the end points of the domain we have to check only one sided limits, Note that we can't approach 0 from left as the base of exponential function becomes negative while in standard practice we always take base as positive. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Ayush Agarwal - 4 years, 11 months ago

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Since the limit from the left is not defined, the limit is not defined.

展豪 張 - 4 years, 11 months ago

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@展豪 張 Well appreciate the fact that in standard practice exponential functions are always defined for positive bases.Also a function is always studied within it's domain of defination, Zero being an end point of the domain,You cannot approach it from left anyway and hence existence of one sided limit is the sufficient and necessary condition for overall limit to exist. Go check on wolfram alpha,limit exists and is equal to 1. If I'm wrong please give me a verified source contradicting my point

Ayush Agarwal - 4 years, 11 months ago

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@Ayush Agarwal Yes you are wrong. IF it was written as f ( x ) = 1 x x f(x) = \frac{1}{x^x} and we restrict the domain of the function to where it makes sense, then we can talk about lim x 0 f ( x ) \lim_{x\rightarrow 0 } f(x) and restrict the x x values to where it makes sense, and then take any sequence of the restricted domain.

However, for lim x 0 1 x x \lim_{x\rightarrow 0} \frac{1}{x^x} , we have to take any sequence approaching 0 and calculate the limit of those points.

Calvin Lin Staff - 4 years, 11 months ago

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@Calvin Lin Oh! Got it. Will take care about such things from now. Thanks a lot. Cheers.

Ayush Agarwal - 4 years, 11 months ago

That's absolutely embarrassing...Shall I delete the solution?

展豪 張 - 4 years, 11 months ago

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Nope, just edit the solution accordingly. Thanks!

Calvin Lin Staff - 4 years, 11 months ago
Chew-Seong Cheong
May 31, 2016

L = lim x 0 ( 1 x ) x = lim x 0 e x ln x = lim x 0 exp ( x ln x ) exp ( x ) is just another way of expressing e x for convenience. = lim x 0 exp ( ln x 1 x ) Since ln x and 1 x as x 0 , we can use the L’H o ˆ pital’s rule. = lim x 0 exp ( 1 x 1 x 2 ) Differentiating up and down. = lim x 0 e x = e 0 = 1 = 0 ! \begin{aligned} \mathscr L & = \lim_{x \to 0} \ \left(\frac1x \right)^x \\ & = \lim_{x \to 0} e^{x\ln x} \\ & = \lim_{x \to 0} \ \color{#3D99F6}{\exp}(x\ln x) \quad \quad \small \color{#3D99F6}{\exp (x) \text{ is just another way of expressing }e^x \text{ for convenience.}} \\ & = \lim_{x \to 0} \ \exp \left( \frac{\ln x}{\frac{1}{x}} \right) \quad \quad \small \color{#3D99F6}{\text{Since } \ln x \to - \infty \text{ and }\frac 1x \to \infty \text{ as }x \to 0 \text{, we can use the L'Hôpital's rule.}} \\ & = \lim_{x \to 0} \ \exp \left( \frac{\frac{1}{x}}{-\frac{1}{x^2}} \right) \quad \quad \small \color{#3D99F6}{\text{Differentiating up and down.}} \\ & = \lim_{x \to 0} \ e^{-x} \\ & = e^0 = 1 = \boxed{0!} \end{aligned}

Sir someone Reported this problem. Please see that.

akash patalwanshi - 5 years ago

Note that the limit on the left doesn't exist, since ln x \ln x is not defined for x < 0 x < 0 .

Calvin Lin Staff - 4 years, 11 months ago

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