How do you prove the statement lim as x approaches -1.5 for ((9-4x^2)/(3+2x))=6 using the epsilon and delta definition?

2 Answers
Oct 18, 2015

You can't.

Explanation:

You can't prove it since it isn't 6.
lim_(x to -1.5) (9-4x)/(3+2) does not exist. The limit from the left is +oo and the limit from the right is -oo.

Oct 19, 2015

See the explanation.

Explanation:

Preliminary analysis
We need to show that for every positive epsilon, there is a positive delta such that if 0 < abs(x-(-3/2)) < delta we get abs((9-4x^2)/(3+2x) - 6) < epsilon.

Note first that abs(x-(-3/2)) = abs(x+3/2)

For every x other than -3/2, we have:

(9-4x^2)/(3+2x) = 3-2x.

So, for every x other than -3/2, we have:

abs((9-4x^2)/(3+2x) - 6)= abs((3-2x)-6)

= abs(-2x-3) = abs((-4)(x+3/2)) = abs(-4)abs(x+3/2).
= 4abs(x+3/2)

We want this to be less than epsilon and we control, through delta, the size of abs(x+3/2)

If we make abs(x+3/2) < epsilon/4, then we will have

4abs(x+3/2) < 4(epsilon/4) = epsilon as desired.

Now we are ready to write the proof:

Proof

Given epsilon > 0, let delta = epsilon/4. Observe that this delta is also positive, as required.

Now if x is chosen so that 0 < abs(x-(-3/2)) < delta, the we have:

abs((9-4x^2)/(3+2x) - 6)= abs((3-2x)-6)

= abs(-2x-3) = abs(-4)abs(x+3/2).

= 4abs(x+3/2) < 4delta = 4(epsilon/4) = epsilon

That is: if 0 < abs(x-(-3/2)) < delta, then abs((9-4x^2)/(3+2x) - 6) < epsilon.

So, by the definition of limit, lim_(xrarr-1.5)((9-4x^2)/(3+2x)) = 6