009A Sample Final A, Problem 1

1. Find the following limits:
   (a)   $\lim _{x\rightarrow 0}{\frac {\tan(3x)}{x^{3}}}.$

   (b) $\lim _{x\rightarrow -\infty }{\frac {\sqrt {x^{6}+6x^{2}+2}}{x^{3}+x-1}}.$

   (c)   $\lim _{x\rightarrow 3}{\frac {x-3}{{\sqrt {x+1}}-2}}.$

   (d)   Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow3}\frac{x-1}{\sqrt{x+1}-1}.}

   (e)  Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow\infty}\frac{5x^{2}-2x+3}{1-3x^{2}}.}

Foundations:
When evaluating limits of rational functions, the first idea to try is to simply plug in the limit. Unfortunately, most (but not all) exam questions require more work. Many of them will evaluate to an indeterminate form, or something of the form
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \frac{0}{0}}    or   Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \frac {\pm \infty}{\pm \infty}.}
In this case, here are several approaches to try:
We can multiply the numerator and denominator by the conjugate of the denominator. This frequently results in a term that cancels, allowing us to then just plug in our limit value. We can factor a term creatively. For example, Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle x-1} can be factored as Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \left(\sqrt{x}-1\right) \left(\sqrt{x}+1\right)}  , or as Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \left(\sqrt[3]{x}-1\right)\left(\left(\sqrt[3]{x}\right)^{2}+\sqrt[3]{x}+1\right)}  , both of which could result in a factor that cancels in our fraction. We can apply l'Hôpital's Rule: Suppose Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle c} is contained in some interval Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle I} . If Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \lim_{x \to c}f(x)=\lim_{x \to c}g(x)=0 \text{ or } \pm\infty}   and Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \lim_{x\to c}\frac{f'(x)}{g'(x)}}   exists, and Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle g'(x)\neq 0}   for all Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle x\neq c} in Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle I} , then Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \lim_{x\to c}\frac{f(x)}{g(x)} = \lim_{x\to c}\frac{f'(x)}{g'(x)}} .
Note that the first requirement in l'Hôpital's Rule is that the fraction must be an indeterminate form. This should be shown in your answer for any exam question.

Part (a):

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