How do you find lim sqrt(x^2+1)-x as x->oo?

2 Answers
Jun 10, 2017

Let "f"(x) = (x^2+1)^(1/2) - x.

Then we can write,

"f"(x) = (x^2* (1 + 1/x^2))^(1/2)-x
"f"(x) = abs(x)*(1+1/x^2)^(1/2)-x.

Then, we can expand (1+1/x^2)^(1/2) using the binomial theorem for abs(1/x^2)<1.

abs(1/x^2)<1 for 1/x^2<1 as 1/x^2 is always positive.
1/x^2<1 for x^2>1, so x>1 or x<-1, i.e. abs(x) > 1.

Then for abs(x)>1,

"f"(x) = abs(x) * (1+(1/2)*1/x^2+(1/2)(-1/2)*1/x^4+...) - x
"f"(x) = abs(x)-x + 1/2*abs(x)/x^2+(1/2)(-1/2)*abs(x)/x^4+...

Clearly lim_{x\to\infty}abs(x)/x^n = 0 for n>1.

Then, as this is expansion is valid for any x>1,

lim_{x\to\infty} "f"(x) = abs(x)-x.

abs(x)={ (x, x>=0), (-x, x<=0) :}.

Then, we conclude,

lim_{x\to+\infty} "f"(x) = 0,
lim_{x\to-\infty} "f"(x) = +\infty.

Jun 10, 2017

lim_(xrarroo)(sqrt(x^2+1)-x) takes indeterminate form oo-oo

(sqrt(x^2+1)-x)/1 = ((sqrt(x^2+1)-x))/1 * ((sqrt(x^2+1)+x))/((sqrt(x^2+1)+x))

= (x^2+1-x^2)/(sqrt(x^2+1)+x)

= 1/(sqrt(x^2+1)+x)

Now use
sqrt(x^2+1) = sqrt(x^2)sqrt(1+1/x^2) for all x != 0

= abs(x)sqrt(1+1/x^2) for all x != 0

= xsqrt(1+1/x^2) for all x > 0 (We want lim_(xrarroo))

Returning to

(sqrt(x^2+1)-x) = 1/(sqrt(x^2+1)+x)

= 1/(xsqrt(1+1/x^2))

As xrarroo, we get a limit of 0

Bonus answer

Ar xrarr-oo, the expression sqrt(x^2+1)-x takes non-indeterminate form oo-(-oo) = oo+oo=oo