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Exercise 51Calculus › Single-variable calculus › LimitsHigh schoolAdded 8 Nov 2026

Four limits with absolute value and trigonometry

#absolute value#one-sided limits#factorization

Statement

Compute the following limits:

a) lim⁡x→0x2+2∣x∣x\displaystyle\lim_{x\to0}\frac{x^2+2|x|}{x};
b) lim⁡x→−∞x2+2∣x∣x\displaystyle\lim_{x\to-\infty}\frac{x^2+2|x|}{x};
c) lim⁡x→2x2−4x2−3x+2\displaystyle\lim_{x\to2}\frac{x^2-4}{x^2-3x+2};
d) lim⁡x→πsin⁡2x1+cos⁡x\displaystyle\lim_{x\to\pi}\frac{\sin^2 x}{1+\cos x}.

Hint

a) Study x→0+x\to0^+ and x→0−x\to0^- separately (with ∣x∣=x|x|=x resp. −x-x). b) For x→−∞x\to-\infty, ∣x∣=−x|x|=-x. c) Factor by (x−2)(x-2). d) Use sin⁡2x=(1−cos⁡x)(1+cos⁡x)\sin^2 x=(1-\cos x)(1+\cos x).

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Solution

a) For x≠0x\neq0, x2+2∣x∣x=x+2∣x∣x\dfrac{x^2+2|x|}{x}=x+2\dfrac{|x|}{x}.
- On x>0x>0: ∣x∣/x=1|x|/x=1, so the expression equals x+2→2x+2\to2.
- On x<0x<0: ∣x∣/x=−1|x|/x=-1, so the expression equals x−2→−2x-2\to-2.

Left and right limits differ, so the limit does not exist.

b) For x<0x<0, ∣x∣=−x|x|=-x, so
x2−2xx=x−2⟶−∞.\frac{x^2-2x}{x}=x-2\longrightarrow-\infty.
The limit is −∞-\infty.

c) Factor: x2−4=(x−2)(x+2)x^2-4=(x-2)(x+2), x2−3x+2=(x−2)(x−1)x^2-3x+2=(x-2)(x-1). For x≠2x\neq2:
x+2x−1⟶2+22−1=4.\frac{x+2}{x-1}\longrightarrow\frac{2+2}{2-1}=4.
The limit is 44.

d) Factor sin⁡2x=(1−cos⁡x)(1+cos⁡x)\sin^2 x=(1-\cos x)(1+\cos x). For cos⁡x≠−1\cos x\neq-1:
sin⁡2x1+cos⁡x=1−cos⁡x⟶1−(−1)=2.\frac{\sin^2 x}{1+\cos x}=1-\cos x\longrightarrow 1-(-1)=2.
The limit is 22.