Unlimited

Or when is a limit not a limit?

I was discussing the definition of a limit equal to infinity with someone recently. It occurred to me that such functions have no limit! Of course, you say that’s why – sometimes – we say “infinity”. But should we? What does “∞” mean?

The definition we were discussing is this:

$\underset{{x\to a}}{\mathop{{\lim }}}\,f\left( x \right)=\infty \text{ if, and only if, for any }M>0\text{ there is a number }\delta >0\text{ such that}$ $\text{ if }\left| {x-a} \right|<\delta \text{, then }f(x)>M.$

What is being defined here?

What this definition says is that if we can always find numbers close to x = a that make the function’s value larger than any (every, all) positive number we pick, then we say that the limit is (equal to) infinity (∞).

This is how we say mathematically that every (any, all) number in the open interval defined by $\left| {x=a} \right|<\delta$ , also known as $a-\delta <x<a+\delta$ , will generate function values greater than M.

For example, if $\displaystyle f\left( x \right)=\frac{1}{{{{{\left( {x-2} \right)}}^{2}}}}$ , then $\displaystyle \delta =\frac{1}{{\sqrt{M}}}$ will do the trick, since if

$\displaystyle 0<\left| {x-2} \right|<\frac{1}{{\sqrt{M}}}$

$\displaystyle \Rightarrow \sqrt{M}>\left| {\frac{1}{{x-2}}} \right|$

$\displaystyle \Rightarrow M>\frac{1}{{{{{\left( {x-2} \right)}}^{2}}}}$

The function has no value at exactly x = 2. As x get closer to 2, the graph just goes up and up; the values will eventually be greater than any value you choose. The line, x = 2 that the graph never gets to is called an asymptote. An asymptote is the graphical manifestation of a limit of infinity.

But wait a minute: this function has no limit; the values are unlimited. They just get larger and larger. It is correct to say, $\underset{{x\to 2}}{\mathop{{\lim }}}\,\frac{1}{{{{{\left( {x-2} \right)}}^{2}}}}\text{ does not exist}$ . So, which is it “infinity” or does not exist”?

What is this ∞ thing?

An equal sign means that the numbers on both sides are the same. Now the limit part should be a number, but ∞ is not. So how can they be the same?

Is this an abuse of notation?

A definition must be phrased using previously defined terms. Have we defined ∞?

Up to the beginning of the calculus, we probably told students that infinity means something is greater than any value you choose. That’s true, but not much of a definition. (I hope you did not say “a number greater that any number you choose” or “the largest number,” because infinity is not a number.)

How can we tell if something is greater than any value we choose? The answer is that is exactly what the definition quoted above says! It defines what to say about situation where a function’s values get greater and greater, where they are unlimited. In doing so, it defines infinity as much as anything else, and maybe more so.

Disclaimer: There are functions whose limits fail to exist for other reasons and that “infinity” is not an appropriate description in those situations.

For example, $\displaystyle \underset{{x\to 3}}{\mathop{{\lim }}}\,\frac{{{{x}^{2}}-9}}{{\left( {{{x}^{2}}+1} \right)\sqrt{{{{{\left( {x-3} \right)}}^{2}}}}}}$ does not exist and is not ∞ .

$\displaystyle f(x)=\frac{{{{x}^{2}}-9}}{{\left( {{{x}^{2}}+1} \right)\sqrt{{{{{\left( {x-3} \right)}}^{2}}}}}}$ has a finite jump discontinuity at x = 3.

$\displaystyle f(x)=\frac{{{{x}^{2}}-9}}{{\left( {{{x}^{2}}+1} \right)\sqrt{{{{{\left( {x-3} \right)}}^{2}}}}}}$ has a finite jump discontinuity at x = 3.

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Teaching Calculus

The pleasure lies not in discovering the truth, but in searching for it.

Unlimited

Or when is a limit not a limit?

What is this ∞ thing?

1 thought on “Unlimited”

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Or when is a limit not a limit?

What is this ∞ thing?

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