Limits of f(x) & g(x) Do Not Equal Lim[f(x)g(x)]

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In summary: I sometimes get carried away when I'm learning things but I think I've corrected the OP's confusion.##\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a} f(x)/g(x) = 1 ##It's false, and the reason is that you're dividing by 0. In the particular case of ##f(x) = x-a, g(x) = (x-a)^2## you get ##x \to a\;:\;\;f(x)/g(x) = 1/(x-a)## which doesn't have a limit at a and the limit of the product is 0, not 1.In summary, the statement that if ##\displaystyle \lim_{x \to a
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Homework Statement


If Lim f(x) and Lim g(x) both exist and are equal
x→a x→a then Lim[f(x)g(x)]=1
x→a

Homework Equations


No relevant equations are required in this problem. To determine whether the statement is true or false [/B]

The Attempt at a Solution


The statement is false but the reason behind it is quite unclear to me. Is it because when the limit approaches a from left and right the limits are -∞ and +∞?? Would be very helpful if anyone of you could explain it.
 
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Hard to read your post. Something like

If ##\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a} f(x)## and ##\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a} g(x)## both exist and are equal ##\Rightarrow \displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a} f(x)g(x) = 1 ## ?

Could that be ##\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a} f(x)/g(x) = 1 ## ?

  • To me ##\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a}## means "x approaching from the left to a" so I wouldn't worry about "coming from the right"
  • To me ##\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a} f(x) = \pm \infty## means the limit does not exist, so I wouldn't worry about those either
  • But the division cause a problem in a particular case, that can serve as a counter-example that makes the general statement not true,
 
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BvU said:
Hard to read your post. Something like

If ##\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a} f(x)## and ##\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a} g(x)## both exist and are equal ##\Rightarrow \displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a} f(x)g(x) = 1 ## ?

Could that be ##\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a} f(x)/g(x) = 1 ## ?

  • To me ##\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a}## means "x approaching from the left to a" so I wouldn't worry about "coming from the right"
The notation ##\lim_{x \to a} f(x)## indicates a two-sided limit in which x can approach a from either side. If the two-sided limit exists, then both one-sided limits also exist. Maybe that's what you were trying to say, but what you actually said wasn't clear.
BvU said:
  • To me ##\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a} fx) = \pm \infty## means the limit does not exist, so I wouldn't worry about those either
  • But the division cause a problem in a particular case, that can serve as a counter-example that makes the general statement not true,
I agree that the first post was unclear, and that the OP meant division instead of multiplication.
 
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BvU said:
Hard to read your post. Something like

If ##\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a} f(x)## and ##\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a} g(x)## both exist and are equal ##\Rightarrow \displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a} f(x)g(x) = 1 ## ?

Could that be ##\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a} f(x)/g(x) = 1 ## ?

  • To me ##\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a}## means "x approaching from the left to a" so I wouldn't worry about "coming from the right"
  • To me ##\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow a} fx) = \pm \infty## means the limit does not exist, so I wouldn't worry about those either
  • But the division cause a problem in a particular case, that can serve as a counter-example that makes the general statement not true,

Standard usage is that ##x \to a## means a two-sided limit (##|x-a| \to 0##). Left-hand limits are typically denoted as ##x \to a\!-## or ##x \to a\!-\!0## or ##x \uparrow a##. Right-hand limits are typically denoted as ##x \to a\!+## or ##x \to a\!+\!0## or ##x \downarrow a##.
 
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  • #5
Good thing you corrected me, gentlemen. Been too long ago, but I do recognize the ##x\downarrow a## and ##x\uparrow a\;.\ ## Never had much opportunity to make good use of the distinction. Apologies to professor D.
 

FAQ: Limits of f(x) & g(x) Do Not Equal Lim[f(x)g(x)]

What does it mean when the limits of f(x) and g(x) do not equal the limit of f(x)g(x)?

When the limits of f(x) and g(x) do not equal the limit of f(x)g(x), it means that the limit of the product of two functions is not equal to the product of their limits. In other words, the limit of f(x)g(x) does not necessarily equal the product of the limits of f(x) and g(x).

Can the limit of f(x)g(x) exist if the limits of f(x) and g(x) do not exist?

Yes, it is possible for the limit of f(x)g(x) to exist even if the limits of f(x) and g(x) do not exist. This is because the limit of a product can exist even if the individual limits do not.

What is an example of a situation where the limits of f(x) and g(x) do not equal the limit of f(x)g(x)?

An example of this would be if f(x) approaches 0 as x approaches infinity, and g(x) approaches infinity as x approaches 0. In this case, the limit of f(x)g(x) would not exist, but the limits of f(x) and g(x) would both exist.

How can you determine if the limits of f(x) and g(x) are equal to the limit of f(x)g(x)?

In order for the limits of f(x) and g(x) to equal the limit of f(x)g(x), both f(x) and g(x) must be continuous at the point of evaluation. This means that the value of f(x) and g(x) at the point of evaluation must equal their respective limits at that point.

What is the significance of the limits of f(x) and g(x) not equaling the limit of f(x)g(x)?

The fact that the limits of f(x) and g(x) do not always equal the limit of f(x)g(x) highlights the importance of understanding the properties of limits and how they relate to different mathematical operations. It also emphasizes the need to carefully evaluate the behavior of each individual function in order to accurately determine the limit of the product of two functions.

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