Absolute Value and Inequalities

Properties of Absolute Values & Inequalities

1) If x  a   , then   x  a    a   x  a  .

2) If M   and F  K then MF  M F   K

3) Triangle Inequality: | A  B |  | A |  | B |

4) | A |  | B |  | A  B |  | A |  | B |

Additional Bounding Properties

5) If A  x  B then

a) | x  n | max  | A  n |, | B  n |  for any number n

b) | x k | max  | Ak |, | B k |  for k  1, 2,3,....

1  1 1 
6) If 0  A  x  B or A  x  B  0 , then k
 max  k
, k  for k  1, 2,3,....
|x |  |A | |B | 

7) If g is defined and increasing on the interval  A, B  , then g ( A)  g ( x )  g ( B ) .

8) If g is defined and decreasing on the interval  A, B  , then g ( A)  g ( x )  g ( B ) .

Example 1: Given x  3  1 , determine upper and lower bounds on | x  5 | .

Solution:
Using property 1): Since x  3  1 , then 2  x  4 .
Using property 5a) | x  5 |  max  2  5 , | 4  5 |   max  3,1  3
Conclude | x  5 |  3

Alternatively, since 2  x  4  2  5  x  5  4  5  3  x  5  1 . Since the

absolute value function is decreasing on the interval ( 3, 1) , property 8) implies
3 | x  5 |  1
Example 2: Given x  3  5 , determine an upper bound on | x 2  5 x  7 | .

Solution:
Since x  3  5 , then  2  x  8 . Using property 1)
| x 2  5 x  7 |  | x 2   5 x   7 |  | x 2 |  | 5 x |  | 7 | Using property 3)
 | x2 |  5 | x |  | 7 |
 
 max |  2  |,| 82 |  5max
2
  2 , 8   | 7 | Using Property 5)
 64  40  7  111

Conclude | x 2  5 x  7 |  111

Informal meaning: lim f ( x )  L means f ( x ) can be made as near L as desired by

xa

restricting x to be sufficiently near a . The number epsilon will be used to limit

the vertical position of the graph (near L) and the number delta will be used to
limit the horizontal position of the graph (near a). More precisely:

 The idea of near L will be represented by a nonnegative number epsilon (  );

so f ( x ) will be “near” L if it lies in the interval L    f ( x )  L   .
 The idea of near a will be represented by a nonnegative number delta (  );
so x is near a if it lies in the interval a    x  a   .
 In order for a limit to exist, one must be able to show that given any
tolerance epsilon on the y-axis one can find a corresponding tolerance delta
on the x-axis.

Definition of the Limit of a Function

Given a function f defined for all x in some open interval containing the number a ,

with the possible exception that f may or may not be defined at a . We write

lim f ( x )  L
xa

if given any number   0 , we can find a number   0 such that f ( x ) satisfies

 f ( x)  L   whenever x satisfies 0  x  a   .

There are two parts of the proof associated with using this definition. One must
first discover the number  associated with a given value of  . In general,  will
be a function of  . Secondly, the proof must be written as a formal presentation.

The discovery of the number  associated with a given value of  is usually broken
into two parts. In the first part a rough estimate is obtained, denoted by N. This
rough estimate is often “good enough” if epsilon is large. In the second part, this
rough estimate is refined; this estimate is needed if epsilon is small. The
1 1
refinement is usually a multiple of epsilon  . Since   N and    , the
K K
  
standard choice for delta is   min  N , 
 K

Example 3: Present a formal proof of lim  x 3  5 x  3  15

x3

Solution:

Proof:   Will fill in later. Use N  1

Given   0 , let   min  1, 
 ? since polynomial
assume 0  x  3   .
Consider f ( x)  L  x3  5 x  3  15  x3  5 x  12

=  x  3  x 2  3 x  4  use synthetic division to factor

Since 0  x  3    1 , 2  x  4 . Thus x 2  3 x  4  x 2  3 x  4  16  12  4  32

Go Back and replace ? with 32

 
Therefore, f ( x)  L   x  3  x 2  3 x  4     32  32  
32
QED

Example 8 Revisited: Present a formal proof of lim  x 3  5 x  3  15

x3

Solution:

Proof:   
Given   0 , let   min 1, 
 32 
assume 0  x  3   .
Consider f ( x)  L  x3  5 x  3  15  x3  5 x  12

=  x  3  x 2  3 x  4 
Since 0  x  3    1 , 2  x  4 . Thus x 2  3 x  4  x 2  3 x  4  16  12  4  32

Therefore, f ( x)  L   x  3  x 2  3 x  4     32  32  
32
QED
Usually the synthetic division will be shown somewhere on the paper as a side note.
Homework

Use the episilon delta definition to establish the following limits:

1.) lim B# œ *
BÄ$

#ÞÑlim B#  B  # œ !
BÄ"

3.)lim B$ œ )
BÄ#

4.) lim B$  #B  " œ #

BÄ"