Example 1: Find x^2.
The approach is simple: Plug in 5 for x, and you get 25.
Example 2: Find x^3.
Here the answer is 27.
There are some simple algebraic rules of limits that you should know. These are
kf(x) = k f(x)
Example: 3 x^2 = 3 x^2 = 75
If f(x) = L 1 and g(x) = L 2 , then [f(x) + g(x)] = L 1 + L 2
Example: [x^2 + x^3 ] = x^2 + x^3 = 150
If f(x) = L 1 and g(x) = L 2 , then [f(x) · g(x)] = L 1 · L 2
Example: = = 52
Example 3: Find (x^2 + 5x).
Plug in 0, and you get 0.
So far, so good. All you do to find the limit of a simple polynomial is plug in the number that the variable
is approaching and see what the answer is. Naturally, the process can get messier—especially if x
approaches zero.