Know Your Limits

Calculus Level 3

lim x 2 1 cos ( 2 ( x 2 ) ) x 2 = ? \large \lim_{x\to2} \dfrac{\sqrt{ 1 - \cos(2(x-2))}}{x-2} = \ ?

2 -\sqrt { 2 } Doesn't Exist 1 2 \frac { 1 }{ \sqrt { 2 } } 2 \sqrt { 2 }

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2 solutions

Kay Xspre
Oct 6, 2015

We will simplify the expression inside the root. 1 c o s 2 ( x 2 ) = 2 s i n 2 ( x 2 ) 1-cos2(x-2) = 2sin^2(x-2) , therefore 2 s i n 2 ( x 2 ) = 2 s i n ( x 2 ) \sqrt{2sin^2(x-2)} = \sqrt{2}|sin(x-2)| . The question wants us to find lim x 2 2 s i n ( x 2 ) x 2 \lim_{x \rightarrow 2} \frac{\sqrt{2}|sin(x-2)|}{x-2}

In general lim x 0 s i n ( x ) x = 1 \lim_{x \rightarrow 0} \frac{sin(x)}{x} = 1 for both left-handed and right-handed limit, but when it involved the absolute value, there will be the deviation as regardless of the value of x x , s i n ( x ) |sin(x)| will always give positive value while x x itself may not, thus: lim x 0 s i n ( x ) x = 1 ; lim x 0 + s i n ( x ) x = 1 \lim_{x \rightarrow 0^-} \frac{|sin(x)|}{x} = -1; \lim_{x \rightarrow 0^+} \frac{|sin(x)|}{x} = 1 In similar vein lim x 2 2 s i n ( x 2 ) x 2 = 2 ; lim x 2 + 2 s i n ( x 2 ) x 2 = 2 \lim_{x \rightarrow 2^-} \frac{\sqrt{2}|sin(x-2)|}{x-2} = -\sqrt{2}; \lim_{x \rightarrow 2^+} \frac{\sqrt{2}|sin(x-2)|}{x-2} = \sqrt{2} therefore lim x 2 1 c o s 2 ( x 2 ) x 2 \lim_{x \rightarrow 2} \frac{\sqrt{1-cos2(x-2)}}{x-2} is not determined as both sides of the limit yields different result

I utilized L'Hopital's Rule and that yields 0/0.

This is incorrect. L'Hospital's rule can be repeated whenever the limit is 0/0

PATRICK DAVID SCHOLL - 5 years, 8 months ago

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