How do you find the limit of #(sin12x)/x# as x approaches zero?

1 Answer
Aug 9, 2015

Use L'Hôpital's rule with #f(x) = sin(12x)# and #g(x) = x#.

#f'(x) = 12 cos 12x# and #g'(x) = 1#, so

#lim_(x->0) f(x)/g(x) = lim_(x->0) (f'(x))/(g'(x)) = lim_(x->0) (12 cos 12x)/1 = 12#

Explanation:

L'Hôpital's rule says that if:

(1) #f(x)# and #g(x)# are differentiable on an open interval #I# containing #c#, except possibly at #c# and

(2) #lim_(x->c) f(x) = lim_(x->c) g(x) = 0# and

(3) #lim_(x->c) (f'(x))/(g'(x))# exists and #g'(x) != 0# for all #x in I# (except possibly at #c#)

then

#lim_(x->c) (f(x))/(g(x)) = lim_(x->c) (f'(x))/(g'(x))#

With #f(x) = sin(12x)# and #g(x) = x# these 3 conditions hold for #c = 0#.