Question #c747d

2 Answers
Apr 2, 2017

It's a two-sided limit, which means that the limit as such does not exist.

Explanation:

lim_( x->0) 5^x+3^x+2^x-3/x

The first 3 terms are continuous at x = 0 so you can just set x = 0 to get:

1+ 1+ 1 - lim_( x->0) 3/x

Now you want to worry about the direction in which you are aproaching zero, because there is a binary change in the sign of x either side of the origin.

So, from the right, where x>0:

lim_( x->0^color(red)(+)) 5^x+3^x+2^x-3/x

= 1+ 1+ 1 color(red)(-) lim_( x->0^+) 3/x = - oo

And from the left, where x<0

lim_( x->0^color(red)(-)) 5^x+3^x+2^x-3/x

= 1+ 1+ 1 color(red)(-) lim_( x->0^-) 3/x = + oo

But, overall, it's a two-sided limit which means that the limit as such does not exist.

Apr 2, 2017

log_e(30)

Explanation:

I don't like to solve limits using l'Hopital's rule but in this case it is the easiest way to get it.

Making y = a^x we have

x = logy/log a then dx = dy/(y log a) and

dy/dx = log a y

so taking the numerator

d/(dx)(5^x+3^x+2^x-3)=log5 xx 5^x+log3 xx 3^x+log2 xx 2^x

and the denominator

d/dx = 1

then it is equivalent

lim_(x->0)(5^5+3^x+2^x-3)/x equiv lim_(x->0)(log5 cdot xx 5^x+log3 xx 3^x+log2 xx 2^x)/1

but lim_(x->0)a^x = 1 with a > 0

so

lim_(x->0)(5^5+3^x+2^x-3)/x=log(5)+log(3)+log(2)=log_e(30)