Math Problem Statement

Evaluate the limit: lim (x -> +∞) (x^2 - 8) / (sqrt(3x^4 + x))

Solution

The given limit expression is:

limx+x283x4+x\lim_{x \to +\infty} \frac{x^2 - 8}{\sqrt{3x^4 + x}}

To solve this limit, let's analyze it step by step:

Step 1: Simplify by identifying dominant terms

As x+x \to +\infty, the dominant term in the numerator is x2x^2, and in the denominator, it is 3x4=x23\sqrt{3x^4} = x^2\sqrt{3}.

Thus, we can approximate:

limx+x283x4+xlimx+x23x4=limx+x2x23=13\lim_{x \to +\infty} \frac{x^2 - 8}{\sqrt{3x^4 + x}} \approx \lim_{x \to +\infty} \frac{x^2}{\sqrt{3x^4}} = \lim_{x \to +\infty} \frac{x^2}{x^2\sqrt{3}} = \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}

Step 2: More rigorous analysis

To be more precise, let's factor out the highest power of xx from both the numerator and the denominator. We do this by factoring x2x^2 from the numerator and x2x^2 (inside the square root) from the denominator:

=limx+x2(18x2)x23+1x3= \lim_{x \to +\infty} \frac{x^2(1 - \frac{8}{x^2})}{x^2\sqrt{3 + \frac{1}{x^3}}}

Now, cancel out the x2x^2 terms:

=limx+18x23+1x3= \lim_{x \to +\infty} \frac{1 - \frac{8}{x^2}}{\sqrt{3 + \frac{1}{x^3}}}

Step 3: Apply the limit

As x+x \to +\infty, both 8x20\frac{8}{x^2} \to 0 and 1x30\frac{1}{x^3} \to 0. Therefore, the limit simplifies to:

=103+0=13= \frac{1 - 0}{\sqrt{3 + 0}} = \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}

Final Answer:

13\boxed{\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}}

Would you like more details or explanations on any of the steps?

Here are some related questions to explore this topic further:

  1. How would the result change if the numerator were x3x^3 instead of x2x^2?
  2. What happens if the limit tends to negative infinity instead of positive infinity?
  3. How would we approach this problem if we had x5x^5 in the denominator instead of x4x^4?
  4. Can this limit be solved using L'Hôpital's Rule? If so, how?
  5. How does the inclusion of small terms (like 8x2\frac{8}{x^2}) affect the behavior of the limit?

Tip: When solving limits as xx \to \infty, focusing on dominant terms helps simplify the process significantly.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Limits
Dominant Term Analysis
Algebraic Simplification

Formulas

lim (x -> +∞) f(x)/g(x) where dominant terms in numerator and denominator are used
Factorization to simplify complex expressions

Theorems

Dominant term analysis
Limit laws (x -> ∞)

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 11-12 (Pre-Calculus, Calculus)