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2013/12/16

limits of a function (one-sided limits)

If a function f(x)  approaches c  as its argument x  approaches a point x_0 , the function f  is said to approach the limit c . Now we shall address the following function.
 f(x)=\left\{ \begin{array}{cccc}  -x^2 & (x<0)& & \\  1& (x=0)& & \\  x^2 & (x>0)& & \end{array} \right.
As this function is not continuous, it is not easy for us to understand the limit of the function.

If x  approaches 0  from the left-side hand, f(x)\rightarrow 0 . This result is also same in the case of x  approaching from the right-side hand. However, as f(0)=1  by its own definition, \lim_{x\rightarrow 0} f(x)\ne f(0) .

We shall define two kinds of limit of a function.  The limit of f(x)  in the case which x\rightarrow x_0  and x<x_0    is said to the left hand limit and is written by
\lim_{x\rightarrow -x_0}f(x)
If the right hand limit, then
\lim_{x\rightarrow +x_0}f(x)
These are called one-sided limits. "left hand" is equivalent to "below" and "right hand" is equivalent to "above".

If for any \epsilon>0 there is a \delta>0 such that |f(x)-c|<\epsilon  whenever 0<x_0-x <\delta , the limit of f(x)  is c as x approaches x_0 from below. If the case is from above or right hand, the condition becomes 0<x-x_0<\delta .

In the above example, both the right hand and left hand limit of f(x)  at the point 0  are not f(0) unfortunately.




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