Math Problem Statement

  1. what about lim x to 16 (x-16/rootx - 4
  2. lim x to 3 ( x-3/ |x-3|)

Solution

Let's address both limits one by one.


1. limx16x16x4\lim_{x \to 16} \frac{x - 16}{\sqrt{x} - 4}

To solve this, observe that directly substituting x=16x = 16 gives:

1616164=044=00,\frac{16 - 16}{\sqrt{16} - 4} = \frac{0}{4 - 4} = \frac{0}{0}, which is an indeterminate form. To resolve this, we'll need to simplify the expression. We can multiply both the numerator and denominator by the conjugate of the denominator.

The conjugate of x4\sqrt{x} - 4 is x+4\sqrt{x} + 4. Multiply the numerator and denominator by x+4\sqrt{x} + 4:

x16x4x+4x+4=(x16)(x+4)(x4)(x+4).\frac{x - 16}{\sqrt{x} - 4} \cdot \frac{\sqrt{x} + 4}{\sqrt{x} + 4} = \frac{(x - 16)(\sqrt{x} + 4)}{(\sqrt{x} - 4)(\sqrt{x} + 4)}.

Using the difference of squares for the denominator:

(x4)(x+4)=x16.(\sqrt{x} - 4)(\sqrt{x} + 4) = x - 16.

So, the expression becomes:

(x16)(x+4)x16.\frac{(x - 16)(\sqrt{x} + 4)}{x - 16}.

Now, assuming x16x \neq 16, we can cancel the x16x - 16 terms:

x+4.\sqrt{x} + 4.

Now, take the limit as x16x \to 16:

limx16(x+4)=16+4=4+4=8.\lim_{x \to 16} (\sqrt{x} + 4) = \sqrt{16} + 4 = 4 + 4 = 8.

Thus, the limit is:

limx16x16x4=8.\lim_{x \to 16} \frac{x - 16}{\sqrt{x} - 4} = 8.


2. limx3x3x3\lim_{x \to 3} \frac{x - 3}{|x - 3|}

This limit involves an absolute value function, so we need to evaluate the left-hand and right-hand limits separately.

  • For x3+x \to 3^+ (approaching 3 from the right): When x>3x > 3, x3=x3|x - 3| = x - 3. The expression becomes:

    x3x3=1.\frac{x - 3}{x - 3} = 1.

  • For x3x \to 3^- (approaching 3 from the left): When x<3x < 3, x3=(x3)|x - 3| = -(x - 3). The expression becomes:

    x3(x3)=1.\frac{x - 3}{-(x - 3)} = -1.

Since the left-hand and right-hand limits are not equal, the two-sided limit does not exist.

Thus, we can conclude:

limx3x3x3 does not exist.\lim_{x \to 3} \frac{x - 3}{|x - 3|} \text{ does not exist.}


Summary of Results:

  1. limx16x16x4=8\lim_{x \to 16} \frac{x - 16}{\sqrt{x} - 4} = 8.
  2. limx3x3x3\lim_{x \to 3} \frac{x - 3}{|x - 3|} does not exist.

Would you like more details on these problems or have any follow-up questions? Here are some related questions you might find interesting:

  1. How do limits involving square roots typically behave near a point?
  2. How does the absolute value affect limits at specific points?
  3. What is the difference between one-sided and two-sided limits?
  4. How can conjugates help simplify limits with square roots?
  5. What are common techniques for evaluating indeterminate forms in limits?

Tip: Always check for indeterminate forms like 00\frac{0}{0} when calculating limits; they often require algebraic manipulation or special techniques like L'Hopital's Rule.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Limits
Algebraic Manipulation
Square Roots
Absolute Values

Formulas

Difference of Squares: (a - b)(a + b) = a^2 - b^2
Limit Properties: lim x→a f(x) = L
One-Sided Limits

Theorems

Limit Laws
Difference of Squares Theorem
Definition of One-Sided Limits

Suitable Grade Level

High School (Grades 11-12) / Early College