We need some ϵ δ \epsilon-\delta here

Calculus Level 3

Evaluate the following limit :

lim ( x , y ) ( 0 , 0 ) ( p x + q y ) sin ( x y ) \lim_{(x,y)\to (0,0)}(px+qy)\sin\left(\frac xy\right)

Source: This problem came in my calculus exam.


The answer is 0.

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3 solutions

Otto Bretscher
Dec 1, 2015

p x + q y ( p x + q y ) sin ( x y ) p x + q y -|px+qy|\leq (px+qy)\sin\left(\frac{x}{y}\right)\leq |px+qy| so the limit is 0 \boxed{0} by the squeeze theorem .

Ahaha, for some reason, I missed noticing this in the rush of the exam, ended up establishing the limit by an epsilon-delta proof (from definition).

Simple and elegant solution. +1

Prasun Biswas - 5 years, 6 months ago

Let ( r , θ ) (r,\theta) be the polar coordinates of the point ( x , y ) (x,y) . Then x = r cos ( θ ) x = r\cos(\theta) and y = r sin ( θ ) , y = r\sin(\theta), and since r = x 2 + y 2 r = \sqrt{x^{2} + y^{2}} it is clear that r 0 r \rightarrow 0 as ( x , y ) ( 0 , 0 ) . (x,y) \rightarrow (0,0). The limit then becomes

lim r 0 r ( p cos ( θ ) + q sin ( θ ) ) sin ( cot ( θ ) ) = r A ( θ ) , \lim_{r \rightarrow 0} r(p\cos(\theta) + q\sin(\theta))\sin(\cot(\theta)) = rA(\theta),

where A ( θ ) = ( p cos ( θ ) + q sin ( θ ) ) sin ( cot ( θ ) ) . A(\theta) = (p\cos(\theta) + q\sin(\theta))\sin(\cot(\theta)).

Now since both the sine and cosine functions have a range of [ 1 , 1 ] [-1,1] , we have that

( p + q ) A ( p + q ) r ( p + q ) r A r ( p + q ) , -(p + q) \le A \le (p + q) \Longrightarrow -r(p + q) \le rA \le r(p + q), as r 0. r \ge 0.

Then as p p and q q are both constants, by the Squeeze theorem we have that lim r 0 r A = 0 . \lim_{r \rightarrow 0} rA = \boxed{0}.

Pulkit Gupta
Dec 7, 2015

Let the infinitesimal small value x attains be h 1 h_{1} & that y attains be h 2 h_{2} . Clearly, s i n ( h 1 sin \ (h_{1} / h 2 ) h_{2}) is a finite value lying between -1 & 1 .

Once that's established, we can clearly conclude 0*( a finite value) = 0. Note that the first part of the limit evaluates to an infinitesimal small value tending to zero.

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