Create a free account to get started

Unlock full course notes by signing up

  • Video lessons taught by top educators
  • Practice questions with guided solutions
  • Written review notes for reference
  • Expert answers anytime from course tutors

Infinite Limits

Infinite Limits describe the behavior of functions whose values become arbitrarily large either positively or negatively. The answer to these limits is ±∞\pm\infty.

Image illustrating Infinite Limits


(Positive) Infinite Limits

Let f(x)f\left(x\right) be a function defined on both sides of aa except possibly at aa itself. If f(x)f(x) grows arbitrarily large as xx approaches aa then

lim⁡x→af(x)=∞ \displaystyle \boxed{\lim_{x \to a} f(x)=\infty}


(Negative) Infinite Limits

Let f(x)f(x) be a function defined on both sides of aa except possibly at aa itself. If f(x)f(x) grows arbitrary small as xxapproaches aa then

lim⁡x→af(x)=−∞ \displaystyle \boxed{\lim_{x \to a} f(x)=-\infty}





Vertical Asymptotes

A function f(x)f\left(x\right) has a vertical asymptote with equation x=ax=a if at least one of these statements is true:


lim⁡x→a−f(x)=±∞    or    lim⁡x→a+f(x)=±∞\displaystyle \boxed{\lim_{x \to a^-} f(x)= \pm \infty \;\; \text{or}\;\; \lim_{x \to a^+} f(x)= \pm \infty }



Create a free account to get started

Unlock full course notes by signing up

  • Video lessons taught by top educators
  • Practice questions with guided solutions
  • Written review notes for reference
  • Expert answers anytime from course tutors

Example: Infinite Limits

For the following graph, find:


i) lim⁡x→5+f(x)\displaystyle \lim_{x \to 5^+}f(x)


ii)lim⁡x→5−f(x)\displaystyle \lim_{x \to 5^-}f(x)

Image illustrating Example

Note: The graph above has a vertical asymptote at x=5x=5.


i) lim⁡x→5+f(x)=∞\displaystyle \lim_{x \to 5^+}f(x)=\infin


ii) lim⁡x→5−f(x)=−∞\displaystyle \lim_{x \to 5^-}f(x)=-\infin

Create a free account to get started

Unlock full course notes by signing up

  • Video lessons taught by top educators
  • Practice questions with guided solutions
  • Written review notes for reference
  • Expert answers anytime from course tutors

Example: Infinite Limits

Find the following limit


lim⁡x→73+7x−63x−7\displaystyle \lim_{x \to \frac{7}{3}^+} \frac{7x-6}{3x-7}



When we try to evaluate the limit, the numerator is positive while the denominator becomes 0. Evaluating with numbers to the right of 7/3 will give positive values in the denominator.


=493−60+=+0+=+∞=\displaystyle\frac{\frac{49}{3}-6}{0^+}=\frac{+}{0^+}=+\infty


Extra Practice