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## anonymous 5 years ago what is the difference between a problem where the limit is infinity or negative infinity and a problem where the limit does not exist?

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1. anonymous

A problem in which the limit does not exist literally does not have any value. Whereas a limit that is infinity does have a value - it's just infinity. For example, $\lim_{x \rightarrow \infty}x^2$ \lim_{x \rightarrow \infty}cos(x) \] In the first case the limit is $$\infty$$ because the function obviously keeps getting larger and larger as you let x go to $$\infty$$. In the second case the limit does not exist because as you let x go to $$\infty$$ the function does not approach any value (or $$\infty$$ ). Remember that in order for a limit to exist the function must be approaching a value as you let x appoach whatever value you are using ( $$\infyt$$ ) in this case...

2. anonymous

Arg, couldn't type in my math... The second limit should be, $\lim_{x \rightarrow \infty}cos(x)$

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