How Does L'Hopital's Rule Solve This Limit Problem?

In summary: In other words, taking derivatives of the top and bottom separately, and then taking the limit again, gives you the same result as just taking the limit of the original fraction. In summary, when using L'Hopital's Rule to find the limit of (sin4x)/(x^2+8x) as x approaches 0, we need to first find the derivatives of each function, which are cos4x and 2x+8 respectively. Substituting these into the rule, we get: \lim_{x \to 0} \frac{cos4x}{2x+8} Since this limit still produces an indeterminate form of 0/0, we can continue applying L'Hop
  • #1
cummings15
17
0

Homework Statement


lim (sin4x) divided by (x^2+8x)
x approaches 0


Homework Equations


L'Hopital's rule


The Attempt at a Solution



u = sin4x
du = cos4x

y = x^2+8x
dy = 2x+c
 
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  • #2
cummings15 said:

Homework Statement


lim (sin4x) divided by (x^2+8x)
x approaches 0

Homework Equations


L'Hopital's rule

The Attempt at a Solution



u = sin4x
du = cos4x

The derivative would be called du/dx, not just du. And cos(4x) isn't correct. Remember the chain rule.

y = x^2+8x
dy = 2x+c

Again you mean dy/dx and the derivative isn't correct. And where did the + c come from? You aren't integrating.

Finally, once you correct the derivatives you need to write something like this:

[tex]lim_{x\rightarrow 0}\frac {\sin(4x)}{x^2+8x} = \ ?[/tex]

and write on the right side what you get.
 
  • #3
cummings15 said:

Homework Statement


lim (sin4x) divided by (x^2+8x)
x approaches 0


Homework Equations


L'Hopital's rule


The Attempt at a Solution



u = sin4x
du = cos4x
This is not right. You forgot to use the chain rule, plus it's missing the dx on the right side.
cummings15 said:
y = x^2+8x
dy = 2x+c
This is also incorrect. The derivative of 8x is 8, not c. You're also missing the dx.

In any case, you need to be working with derivatives, not differentials.

What do you get when you actually apply L'Hopital's Rule? This rule says that under certain conditions,
[tex]\lim_{x \to a} \frac{f(x)}{g(x)} = \lim_{x \to a} \frac{f'(x)}{g'(x)} [/tex]
If the latter limit exists, the first limit is equal to it.
 

FAQ: How Does L'Hopital's Rule Solve This Limit Problem?

What is L'Hopital's rule?

L'Hopital's rule is a mathematical theorem that allows us to evaluate the limit of a function that is in an indeterminate form, such as a fraction with 0 in the denominator or infinity over infinity.

When should L'Hopital's rule be used?

L'Hopital's rule should be used when we encounter a limit that cannot be evaluated using direct substitution or other basic limit laws. It is specifically designed to handle indeterminate forms.

What are the conditions for using L'Hopital's rule?

The conditions for using L'Hopital's rule are: both the numerator and denominator of the fraction must approach 0 or infinity, the limit must be in an indeterminate form, and the function must be differentiable in a neighborhood of the limit point except possibly at the limit point itself.

How do we apply L'Hopital's rule?

To apply L'Hopital's rule, we take the derivative of both the numerator and denominator of the fraction and then evaluate the limit again. This process can be repeated multiple times if necessary until the limit can be evaluated without using L'Hopital's rule.

Are there any limitations to using L'Hopital's rule?

Yes, L'Hopital's rule cannot be used to evaluate limits at points where the function is not differentiable. It also cannot be used for limits involving exponential functions or logarithmic functions, as these functions are not differentiable at certain points.

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