How do you find the limit of (2-x)/(sqrt(4-4x+x^2)) as x approaches 2^+?

1 Answer
Apr 20, 2016

Rewrite the expression using sqrt(u^2) = absu and using the definition of the absolute value function.

Explanation:

First we write

(2-x)/sqrt(4-4x+x^2) = (2-x)/sqrt((2-x)^2)

= (2-x)/abs(2-x).

Now, note that

abs(2-x) = { (2-x,"if",2-x >= 0),(-(2-x),"if",2-x < 0):}

= { (2-x,"if",x <= 2),(-(2-x),"if",x > 2):}.

Putting these together, we get

(2-x)/sqrt(4-4x+x^2) = (2-x)/abs(2-x)

= { ((2-x)/(2-x) = 1,"if",x <= 2),((2-x)/(-(2-x))=-1,"if",x > 2):}.

As xrarr2^+ the function is constant -1

Therefore the limit is -1