2.

3 Indeterminate Forms and L’Hopital’s Rule

2.3.1 Indeterminate Form

t
If and are two functions such that lim t and lim t , then the function lim t

is a indeterminate form. We can also say that has indeterminate form at .

Note that if we have this form, we cannot tell whether the limit exists or not. Thus, we need
further investigation to determine if the limit exists. Consider the example below.

Example 1. Each of the following limits is a indeterminate form.

t
t lim t lim

Note that we can get rid of the indeterminate form in the first limit by cancelling out
common factors as seen below:
t t t
lim lim lim t t

However, to some limits, such as the second one in this example, where we cannot get rid
of the indeterminate form using algebraic simplification, we can use the following rule.
Theorem 1. L’hopital’s Rule for 0/0 Indeterminate Forms (Version 1)
Let f and g be functions which are differentiable on an open interval I. expect possibly at the
number . Suppose that for all in I, ̵t . If has the indeterminate form at ,
then and
t ̵t
lim lim
t ̵t
provided that the limit on the right exists (or is infinite).
Note:

 The theorem above is valid if two-sided limits is replaced by one-sided limit.

 Verify first if has the indeterminate form at before applying the L’hopital’s rule.

Example 2. Note that the limits in Example 1 have 0/0 indeterminate form. Thus, we can
evaluate these limits using L’hopital’s rule.
 t
t lim

Solution.
豈豈⿏ ̵ 댳豈 䀀 ⿏̵
t⿏
Form

t t t
lim lim lim lim
t

t lim

Solution.
豈豈⿏ ̵ 댳豈 䀀 ⿏̵
t⿏
Form
t
lim lim lim lim
t

ln sin
‫ܕ ܉ ܠ‬ t Evaluate lim t

Solution.
Step 1. First determine if L’hopital’s rule is applicable.

lim ln sin ln sin ln

lim

Thus, the limit is a 0/0 indeterminate form.

Step 2. Apply the L’hopital’s rule.
 豈豈⿏ ̵ 댳豈 䀀 ⿏̵
t⿏
Form

ln sin ln sin t sin

lim lim lim sin
t

t cos
lim sin
t t
cos
lim sin
t

Form
lim cot cot
cot
lim Note
t lim t

Apply L̵ hopital̵ s
Rule

t cot
lim
t
t

csc
lim
t

csc
Theorem 2. L’hopital’s Rule for 0/0 Indeterminate Forms (Version 2)
Let and be functions which are differentiable for all t h, where h is a positive constant,
and suppose that for all t h, t . If lim t and lim t , then

t ̵t
lim lim
t ̵t
provided that the limit on the right exists (or is infinite)t
Note: The theorem above is valid if “ ” is replaced by “ ”.

Example 4. Evaluate the following limits.

sin
t lim
tan

Solution.
Step 1. First determine if L’hopital’s rule is applicable.

lim sin sin lim tan tan

Hence, the limit is a 0/0 indeterminate form.

Step 2. Apply the L’hopital’s rule.
豈豈⿏ ̵ 댳豈 䀀 ⿏̵
Form t⿏

sin sin cos

lim lim lim
tan tan

cos
lim
 cos

ln t
t lim

Solution.
Step 1. First determine if L’hopital’s rule is applicable.
lim ln t ln t ln and lim

Thus, the limit is a 0/0 indeterminate form.

Step 2. Apply the L’hopital’s rule.
豈豈⿏ ̵ 댳豈 䀀 ⿏̵
t⿏
Form

ln ln
lim lim

lim

lim

lim

2.3.2 Indeterminate Form

Theorem 3. L’hopital’s Rule for Indeterminate Forms (Version 1)
Let and be functions which are differentiable on an open interval , except possibly at the
number . Suppose that for all in , ̵t . If lim t tor and
lim t tor , then
 t ̵t
lim lim
t ̵t
provided that the limit on the right exists (or is infinite)t
Note:

 The theorem above is valid if two-sided limits is replaced by one-sided limit.

 Verify first if has the indeterminate form at before applying Theorem 3.

Theorem 4. L’hopital’s Rule for Indeterminate Forms (Version 2)

Let and be functions which are differentiable for all t h, where h is a positive constant
and suppose that for all t h, ̵ . If lim or and lim
tor , then
t ̵t
lim lim
t ̵t
provided that the limit on the right exists (or is infinite)t
Note: The theorem above is valid if “ ” is replaced by “ ”.

Example 5. Evaluate the following limits.

ln
t lim
cot

Solution.
Step 1. First determine if L’hopital’s rule is applicable.
cos
lim ln and lim cot lim
sin
through values

So, the limit is a indeterminate form.

Step 2. Apply the L’hopital’s rule.

 豈豈⿏ ̵ 댳豈 䀀 ⿏̵
t⿏
Form

ln ln
lim lim lim
cot csc
cot

Form

sin
lim

豈豈⿏ ̵ 댳豈 䀀 ⿏̵
t⿏

sin
lim

sin sin
lim

lim sin cos

t lim

Solution.
Step 1. Determine if L’hopital’s rule is applicable.

lim and lim

We see that the limit is a indeterminate form.

Step 2. Apply the L’hopital’s rule.

豈豈⿏ ̵ 댳豈 䀀 ⿏̵ 豈豈⿏ ̵ 댳豈 䀀 ⿏̵
t⿏ t⿏
Form Form

lim lim lim lim lim

2.4 Other Indeterminate Forms

Note: Rewrite the limit into the form or before using the L’Hopitals’ rule.

Example 6. Indeterminate Form

Evaluate lim sin csc t

Solution. Note that

lim sin and lim csc lim

sin
through values

Thus, we have a indeterminate form. Recall that we can only use the
L’hopital’s rule if we have a or indeterminate form. To evaluate limits
having a indeterminate form, one can try to rewrite the product t t
into the following quotients:

t t
or t
t t

Using this strategy, we have

Form
Form
sin sin
lim sin csc lim lim
sin
csc

豈豈⿏ ̵ 댳豈 䀀 ⿏̵
t⿏

sin
lim
sin

lim
cos
 lim
cos

Example 7. Indeterminate Form

Evaluate lim t
sec

Solution. Let us compute first the following limits.

lim and lim

sec
through values through values

Hence, we have a indeterminate form. When we have this, our goal is

to express the function as a single fractional form. Thus, we have

- Form Form

sec lim sec

lim lim Note that
sec sec lim sec

Apply L̵ Hopital̵ s
Rule

sec
lim
sec

sec tan
lim
sec sec using the Product Rule

sec tan
lim
sec tan sec t

sec tan
lim
sec tan
 Form
Note that
tan lim tan
lim
tan
lim tan

Apply L̵ Hopital̵ s
Rule

tan
lim
tan

sec
lim
tan tan
using the Product Rule

sec
lim
sec tan

sec
lim
sec tan

In the following examples ( , we use logarithmic differentiation to evaluate

limits with such indeterminate forms. Given lim t with t as approaches is a

or indeterminate form, we let lim t . Taking the natural logarithm

both sides of the equation yields,

ln ln lim t

Since natural logarithmic functions are continuous, we can use the following theorem.

Theorem 5. If t is continuous at , and if lim t , then

lim t t t .

lim ln t
Thus, we have ln lim ln t and so, lim t .

Note: We can use the same process if is replaced by

 one-sided limits.
 or

Example 8. Indeterminate Form

Evaluate lim t sin t

Solution. Note that lim t sin is a indeterminate form. Let lim t sin .

Then

ln ln lim sin lim ln sin

- Form

lim ln t sin

Form

ln t sin
lim

Apply L̵ Hopital̵ s
Rule

ln t sin
lim
t

t sin
lim sin

cos
lim sin

cos
lim sin
 lim cot

Form

lim
tan

Apply L̵ Hopital̵ s
Rule

t
lim
t tan

lim
sec

Thus, . Therefore,

lim t sin .

Example 9. Indeterminate Form t

Evaluate lim t

Solution. Note that lim . Thus, lim is of the form t . Now, we let

lim ln ln lim

lim ln

Form

lim ln
 Form

ln
lim

Apply L̵ Hopital̵ s
Rule

ln
lim

lim

lim

Thus, . Therefore,

lim .

Example 10. Indeterminate Form

cot
Evaluate lim t

Solution. Note that

cos
lim cot lim
sin
though values

cot
Thus, lim is a indeterminate form. Now,

cot cot
lim ln ln lim
 cot
lim ln

Form

lim cot ln

Form

ln
lim
tan

Apply L̵ Hopital̵ s
Rule

ln
lim
tan

lim
sec

lim
t sec

cot
Thus, . That is, lim .

References:

Barnett R., Ziegler M., Byleen K. (2011). Calculus for Business, Economics, Life
Sciences, and Social Sciences (12 ed). Prentice Hall.

Larson R., Edwards, B. (2013). Calculus of a Single Variable. Cengage Learning.