Evaluating a 0/0 limit by rationalizing both radicals
Evaluate the limit Note that direct substitution gives the indeterminate form , so you will need to use an algebraic technique to rewrite the expression before taking the limit.
Hint
Try multiplying the numerator and denominator each by the appropriate conjugate expression to eliminate the square roots, then simplify and cancel the common factor of .
Step-by-step solution
Multiply the numerator by and the denominator by . This uses the difference of squares identity to turn into , and similarly becomes .
The original expression becomes after canceling the common factor of (valid since near the limit point). Now the expression is continuous at , so direct substitution gives .
Identifying the common factor canceled in the rationalized limit
Hint
Step-by-step solution
The common factor canceled was x. After multiplying numerator and denominator by their respective conjugates, both the top and bottom simplified to expressions containing a factor of x, which canceled since x is not zero near the limit point. This left a continuous expression that could be evaluated by direct substitution.
Related problems
Practice similar Calculus problems interactively.
Start Closing the Gap