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Evaluate a trigonometric limit using L'Hopital's Rule

Evaluate the limit lim⁡x→0sin⁡(3x)tan⁡(5x).\lim_{x \to 0} \frac{\sin(3x)}{\tan(5x)}. First confirm that direct substitution produces an indeterminate form, then use L'Hopital's Rule to find the value of the limit.

Hint

Check that plugging in x=0x=0 gives 0/00/0. Then differentiate the numerator and denominator separately (not using the quotient rule), and substitute x=0x=0 again into the resulting ratio.

Step-by-step solution

Substituting x=0x=0 gives sin⁡(0)/tan⁡(0)=0/0\sin(0)/\tan(0) = 0/0, which is an indeterminate form, so L'Hopital's Rule applies. Differentiate the numerator and denominator separately: the derivative of sin⁡(3x)\sin(3x) is 3cos⁡(3x)3\cos(3x), and the derivative of tan⁡(5x)\tan(5x) is 5sec⁡2(5x)5\sec^2(5x).

Now evaluate lim⁡x→03cos⁡(3x)5sec⁡2(5x)\lim_{x\to 0} \dfrac{3\cos(3x)}{5\sec^2(5x)} by direct substitution, since this new expression is no longer indeterminate. At x=0x=0, cos⁡(0)=1\cos(0)=1 and sec⁡2(0)=1\sec^2(0)=1, so the limit equals 3(1)5(1)=35\dfrac{3(1)}{5(1)} = \dfrac{3}{5}.

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