University Calculus: Early Transcendentals (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321999584
ISBN 13: 978-0-32199-958-0

Chapter 2 - Section 2.6 - Limits Involving Infinity; Asymptotes of Graphs - Exercises - Page 108: 30

Answer

$$\lim_{x\to\infty}\frac{x^{-1}+x^{-4}}{x^{-2}-x^{-3}}=\infty$$

Work Step by Step

We would treat these exercises just like we treat the limits of rational functions: we would divide both numerator and denominator by the highest power of $x$ in the denominator. Also remember that $$\lim_{x\to\infty}\frac{a}{x^n}=\lim_{x\to-\infty}\frac{a}{x^n}=a\times0=0\hspace{1cm}(a\in R)$$ $$A=\lim_{x\to\infty}\frac{x^{-1}+x^{-4}}{x^{-2}-x^{-3}}$$ The highest power of $x$ in the denominator here is $x^{-2}$, so we divide both numerator and denominator by $x^{-2}$: $$A=\lim_{x\to\infty}\frac{\frac{x^{-1}}{x^{-2}}+\frac{x^{-4}}{x^{-2}}}{1-\frac{x^{-3}}{x^{-2}}}=\lim_{x\to\infty}\frac{x^{-1+2}+x^{-4+2}}{1-x^{-3+2}}=\lim_{x\to\infty}\frac{x+x^{-2}}{1-x^{-1}}$$ $$A=\lim_{x\to\infty}\frac{x+\frac{1}{x^2}}{1-\frac{1}{x}}$$ $$A=\frac{\lim_{x\to\infty}x+0}{1-0}=\frac{\lim_{x\to\infty}x}{1}=\lim_{x\to\infty}x=\infty$$
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