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Exercise 718Calculus › Single-variable calculus › LimitsL1Added 1 Nov 2026

x sin x has no limit at infinity

#sequences#non-existence of limits#infinite limits

Statement

Let f(x)=xsin⁡xf(x)=x\sin x. Show that ff has no limit as x→+∞x\to+\infty, not even an infinite one.

Hint

Find a sequence xn→+∞x_n\to+\infty with f(xn)→+∞f(x_n)\to+\infty and another sequence yn→+∞y_n\to+\infty with f(yn)=0f(y_n)=0.

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Solution

Idea. The factor xx makes ff unbounded, which suggests f→+∞f\to+\infty. But sin⁡x\sin x keeps vanishing at the multiples of π\pi. Two different sequences will show the contradiction.

First sequence. Let xn=2nπ+π2x_n=2n\pi+\frac\pi2. Then xn→+∞x_n\to+\infty and f(xn)=xn⋅1=xn→+∞f(x_n)=x_n\cdot1=x_n\to+\infty.

Second sequence. Let yn=nπy_n=n\pi. Then yn→+∞y_n\to+\infty and f(yn)=nπ⋅sin⁡(nπ)=0f(y_n)=n\pi\cdot\sin(n\pi)=0 for all nn, so f(yn)→0f(y_n)\to0.

Conclusion. If ff had a limit (finite or infinite) at +∞+\infty, it would be the limit along every sequence tending to +∞+\infty. But the two sequences give +∞+\infty and 00. So ff has no limit at +∞+\infty.

Remark. The function is unbounded, yet it does not tend to infinity. This is a good example showing that "unbounded" and "tends to infinity" are different properties.