Proof
(related to Proposition: Arithmetic of Functions with Limits - Division)
Context
Hypothesis
- Let $f,g$ have the limits $\lim_{x\to a}f(x)=L$ and $\lim_{x\to a}g(x)=H.$
- Let $H\neq 0.$
- Given $\epsilon > 0.$
Implications
- By the definition of limit:
- there is a $\delta_1 > 0$ such that if $x\in D$ and $0 < |x-a| < \delta_1,$ then $|g(x)-H| < \frac {|H|}{2}.$ For these $x$ it follows from the triangle inequality that
$$\begin{array}{rcl}|g(x)| + \frac{|H|}2 & > & |g(x)|+|g(x)-H|\\
&=&|g(x)|+|H-g(x)|\\
&\ge &|g(x)+(H-g(x))|\\
&=&|H|,\end{array}$$
which implies $|g(x)| > \frac{|H|}2,$ and
- there is a $\delta_2 > 0$ such that if $x\in D$ and $0 < |x-a| < \delta_2,$ then $|f(x)-L| < \frac {\epsilon\cdot |H|}{4}.$
- Moreover, there is a $\delta_3 > 0$ sucht that if $x\in D$ and $0 < |x-a| < \delta_3,$ then $|g(x)-H| < \frac{\epsilon\cdot H^2}{4(|L|+1)}.$
- Get the minimum $\delta=\min(\delta_1,\delta_2,\delta_3).$
- Note that $\delta > 0.$
- Since $\frac fg:D\to\mathbb R,$ we have that if $x\in D$ with $0 < |x-a| < \delta,$ then by the triangle inequality.
$$\begin{array}{rcl}\left|\frac{f(x)}{g(x)}-\frac LH\right|&=&\left|\frac{f(x)\cdot H-L\cdot g(x)}{g(x)\cdot H}\right|\\
&=&\left|\frac{f(x)\cdot H-L\cdot H+L\cdot H-L\cdot g(x)}{g(x)\cdot H}\right|\\
&=&\left|\frac{(f(x)-L)\cdot H+L\cdot(H-g(x))}{g(x)\cdot H}\right|\\
&\le&\frac{|(f(x)-L)}{|g(x)|}+\left|\frac{L(g(x)-H)}{g(x)\cdot H}\right|\\
& < & \frac{e\cdot |H|}{4}\cdot \frac{2}{|H|} + \frac{\epsilon\cdot H^2}{4(|L|+1)}\cdot\frac{2|L|}{H^2}\\
& < & \frac \epsilon2 + \frac \epsilon2\\
&=&\epsilon\end{array}.$$
Conclusion
- By the definition of limit, this shows that the limit of the quotient of both functions is given by $\lim_{x\to a}\frac{f(x)}{g(x)}=\frac LH.$
∎
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References
Bibliography
- Kane, Jonathan: "Writing Proofs in Analysis", Springer, 2016