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Exercise 69Calculus › Single-variable calculus › LimitsL1Added 8 Nov 2026

Three limits involving logarithm and exponentials

#exponential form#logarithm#indeterminate forms

Statement

Compute the following limits:

a) lim⁡x→0ln⁡(1+e−x)x\displaystyle\lim_{x\to0}\frac{\ln(1+e^{-x})}{x};
b) lim⁡x→+∞ln⁡(1+e−x)x\displaystyle\lim_{x\to+\infty}\frac{\ln(1+e^{-x})}{x};
c) lim⁡x→0+xxx−1\displaystyle\lim_{x\to0^+}x^{x^x-1}.

Hint

a) The numerator tends to ln⁡2≠0\ln 2\neq0; study left and right. b) The numerator tends to 00; the quotient is not indeterminate. c) Write xxx−1=exp⁡((xx−1)ln⁡x)x^{x^x-1}=\exp((x^x-1)\ln x) and use xx−1∼xln⁡xx^x-1\sim x\ln x.

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Solution

a) As x→0x\to0, e−x→1e^{-x}\to1, so ln⁡(1+e−x)→ln⁡2\ln(1+e^{-x})\to\ln2. Hence
lim⁡x→0−ln⁡(1+e−x)x=−∞, and lim⁡x→0+ln⁡(1+e−x)x=+∞.\lim_{x \to 0^-} \frac{\ln(1+e^{-x})}{x} = -\infty, \, \text{and} \, \lim_{x \to 0^+} \frac{\ln(1+e^{-x})}{x} = +\infty.
The limit does not exist.

b) As x→+∞x\to+\infty, e−x→0e^{-x}\to0, so ln⁡(1+e−x)→0\ln(1+e^{-x})\to0. The quotient is of the form 0/+∞0/+\infty, giving 00.

c) Write xxx−1=exp⁡((xx−1)ln⁡x)x^{x^x-1}=\exp\bigl((x^x-1)\ln x\bigr). As x→0+x\to0^+, x(ln⁡x)2→0x(\ln x)^2\to0 and
(xx−1)ln⁡x=exln⁡x−1xln⁡x⋅x(ln⁡x)2→0.(x^x-1) \ln x = \frac{e^{x\ln x}-1}{x \ln x} \cdot x (\ln x)^2 \to 0.
By continuity of exp⁡\exp, the limit is e0=1e^0=1.