Math Problem Statement

lim (x -> -2) [(x - 1) / (x + 2) - (x^2 + x + 1) / (x^2 + 3x + 2)]

Solution

The expression you provided is:

limx2(x1x+2x2+x+1x2+3x+2)\lim_{{x \to -2}} \left( \frac{{x - 1}}{{x + 2}} - \frac{{x^2 + x + 1}}{{x^2 + 3x + 2}} \right)

Let's solve it step by step.

Step 1: Check for Direct Substitution

First, substitute x=2x = -2 directly into the expression:

x1x+2andx2+x+1x2+3x+2\frac{{x - 1}}{{x + 2}} \quad \text{and} \quad \frac{{x^2 + x + 1}}{{x^2 + 3x + 2}}

For the first term:

x1x+2=212+2=30(undefined due to division by zero)\frac{{x - 1}}{{x + 2}} = \frac{{-2 - 1}}{{-2 + 2}} = \frac{{-3}}{0} \quad \text{(undefined due to division by zero)}

For the second term:

x2+x+1x2+3x+2=(2)2+(2)+1(2)2+3(2)+2=42+146+2=30(also undefined due to division by zero)\frac{{x^2 + x + 1}}{{x^2 + 3x + 2}} = \frac{{(-2)^2 + (-2) + 1}}{{(-2)^2 + 3(-2) + 2}} = \frac{{4 - 2 + 1}}{{4 - 6 + 2}} = \frac{3}{0} \quad \text{(also undefined due to division by zero)}

Since direct substitution leads to an indeterminate form 00\frac{0}{0}, we will need to simplify the expression using algebraic techniques like factoring.

Step 2: Simplify the Expression

The denominator x2+3x+2x^2 + 3x + 2 can be factored:

x2+3x+2=(x+2)(x+1)x^2 + 3x + 2 = (x + 2)(x + 1)

Now the original limit expression becomes:

limx2(x1x+2x2+x+1(x+2)(x+1))\lim_{{x \to -2}} \left( \frac{{x - 1}}{{x + 2}} - \frac{{x^2 + x + 1}}{{(x + 2)(x + 1)}} \right)

Step 3: Combine the Two Fractions

To combine the two terms into a single fraction, we'll need a common denominator, which is (x+2)(x+1)(x + 2)(x + 1). Rewriting the first term with this denominator:

x1x+2=(x1)(x+1)(x+2)(x+1)\frac{{x - 1}}{{x + 2}} = \frac{{(x - 1)(x + 1)}}{{(x + 2)(x + 1)}}

Now the expression becomes:

limx2((x1)(x+1)(x2+x+1)(x+2)(x+1))\lim_{{x \to -2}} \left( \frac{{(x - 1)(x + 1) - (x^2 + x + 1)}}{{(x + 2)(x + 1)}} \right)

Step 4: Simplify the Numerator

Expand the terms in the numerator:

(x1)(x+1)=x21(x - 1)(x + 1) = x^2 - 1

Now subtract the second term:

x21(x2+x+1)=x21x2x1=x2x^2 - 1 - (x^2 + x + 1) = x^2 - 1 - x^2 - x - 1 = -x - 2

So the expression becomes:

limx2x2(x+2)(x+1)\lim_{{x \to -2}} \frac{{-x - 2}}{{(x + 2)(x + 1)}}

Step 5: Cancel and Take the Limit

The x2-x - 2 in the numerator simplifies to (x+2)-(x + 2), so we can cancel out the (x+2)(x + 2) from the numerator and denominator:

limx2(x+2)(x+2)(x+1)=limx21x+1\lim_{{x \to -2}} \frac{{-(x + 2)}}{{(x + 2)(x + 1)}} = \lim_{{x \to -2}} \frac{{-1}}{{x + 1}}

Now, substitute x=2x = -2 into the remaining expression:

12+1=11=1\frac{{-1}}{{-2 + 1}} = \frac{{-1}}{{-1}} = 1

Final Answer:

The limit is 1\boxed{1}.

Would you like further details on any step or another related explanation?

Here are 5 related questions you might find useful:

  1. How do you factor a quadratic expression like x2+3x+2x^2 + 3x + 2?
  2. What are indeterminate forms in limits, and how are they resolved?
  3. How does combining fractions with different denominators work in algebra?
  4. Can you always cancel terms in a fraction when they appear in both the numerator and denominator?
  5. What are some common techniques for solving limits that result in indeterminate forms?

Tip: Factoring is a powerful tool for simplifying limits, especially when encountering indeterminate forms like 00\frac{0}{0}.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Limits
Factoring
Indeterminate forms
Rational functions

Formulas

Limit of a function
Factoring quadratics

Theorems

Limit laws
Factoring quadratics

Suitable Grade Level

Grade 11-12