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Exercise 12.1 · Q11

Q.lim⁡x→1ax2+bx+ccx2+bx+a, a+b+c≠0\lim_{x\to 1}\dfrac{ax^2 + bx + c}{cx^2 + bx + a},\ a + b + c \neq 0

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The limit of a rational function where both numerator and denominator are polynomials can be found by direct substitution if the denominator is non-zero at the limit point. Here, substituting x=1x=1 gives a+b+ca+b+c=1\frac{a+b+c}{a+b+c}=1, provided a+b+c≠0a+b+c \neq 0. The value is 11.

The key idea is that when you have a limit of a polynomial divided by another polynomial, and the denominator doesn't vanish at the point you're approaching, you can simply plug in the value. This works because polynomials are continuous functions — their graphs have no jumps or holes at any real number.

Here, both the numerator ax2+bx+cax^2 + bx + c and the denominator cx2+bx+acx^2 + bx + a are polynomials in xx. At x=1x=1, the denominator becomes c(1)2+b(1)+a=a+b+cc(1)^2 + b(1) + a = a + b + c. The problem explicitly tells us a+b+c≠0a + b + c \neq 0, so the denominator is non-zero at x=1x=1. That means the rational function is continuous at x=1x=1, and the limit equals the function's value there.

Let's walk through it step by step.

  1. Identify the form of the limit.

    We have lim⁡x→1ax2+bx+ccx2+bx+a\lim_{x\to 1} \frac{ax^2 + bx + c}{cx^2 + bx + a}. Both numerator and denominator are quadratic polynomials. There's no 00\frac{0}{0} or ∞∞\frac{\infty}{\infty} situation here because the denominator at x=1x=1 is a+b+ca+b+c, which is given to be non-zero.

  2. Apply direct substitution.

    Since the denominator is non-zero at x=1x=1, the limit is simply the value of the fraction at x=1x=1:

lim⁡x→1ax2+bx+ccx2+bx+a=a(1)2+b(1)+cc(1)2+b(1)+a=a+b+ca+b+c.\lim_{x\to 1} \frac{ax^2 + bx + c}{cx^2 + bx + a} = \frac{a(1)^2 + b(1) + c}{c(1)^2 + b(1) + a} = \frac{a + b + c}{a + b + c}.

  1. Simplify the fraction. Because a+b+c≠0a+b+c \neq 0, we can cancel the common factor:

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