Calculus Examples

$lim_{x \to 2} \frac{x^{5} - 32}{x^{4} - 16}$

Step 1

Apply L'Hospital's rule.

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.1

Evaluate the limit of the numerator and the limit of the denominator.

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.1.1

Take the limit of the numerator and the limit of the denominator.

$\frac{lim_{x \to 2} x^{5} - 32}{lim_{x \to 2} x^{4} - 16}$

Step 1.1.2

Evaluate the limit of the numerator.

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.1.2.1

Evaluate the limit.

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.1.2.1.1

Split the limit using the Sum of Limits Rule on the limit as $x$ approaches $2$ .

$\frac{lim_{x \to 2} x^{5} - lim_{x \to 2} 32}{lim_{x \to 2} x^{4} - 16}$

Step 1.1.2.1.2

Move the exponent $5$ from $x^{5}$ outside the limit using the Limits Power Rule.

$\frac{{(lim_{x \to 2} x)}^{5} - lim_{x \to 2} 32}{lim_{x \to 2} x^{4} - 16}$

Step 1.1.2.1.3

Evaluate the limit of $32$ which is constant as $x$ approaches $2$ .

$\frac{{(lim_{x \to 2} x)}^{5} - 1 \cdot 32}{lim_{x \to 2} x^{4} - 16}$

Step 1.1.2.2

Evaluate the limit of $x$ by plugging in $2$ for $x$ .

$\frac{2^{5} - 1 \cdot 32}{lim_{x \to 2} x^{4} - 16}$

Step 1.1.2.3

Simplify the answer.

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.1.2.3.1

Simplify each term.

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.1.2.3.1.1

Raise $2$ to the power of $5$ .

$\frac{32 - 1 \cdot 32}{lim_{x \to 2} x^{4} - 16}$

Step 1.1.2.3.1.2

Multiply $- 1$ by $32$ .

$\frac{32 - 32}{lim_{x \to 2} x^{4} - 16}$

Step 1.1.2.3.2

Subtract $32$ from $32$ .

$\frac{0}{lim_{x \to 2} x^{4} - 16}$

Step 1.1.3

Evaluate the limit of the denominator.

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.1.3.1

Evaluate the limit.

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.1.3.1.1

Split the limit using the Sum of Limits Rule on the limit as $x$ approaches $2$ .

$\frac{0}{lim_{x \to 2} x^{4} - lim_{x \to 2} 16}$

Step 1.1.3.1.2

Move the exponent $4$ from $x^{4}$ outside the limit using the Limits Power Rule.

$\frac{0}{{(lim_{x \to 2} x)}^{4} - lim_{x \to 2} 16}$

Step 1.1.3.1.3

Evaluate the limit of $16$ which is constant as $x$ approaches $2$ .

$\frac{0}{{(lim_{x \to 2} x)}^{4} - 1 \cdot 16}$

Step 1.1.3.2

Evaluate the limit of $x$ by plugging in $2$ for $x$ .

$\frac{0}{2^{4} - 1 \cdot 16}$

Step 1.1.3.3

Simplify the answer.

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.1.3.3.1

Simplify each term.

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.1.3.3.1.1

Raise $2$ to the power of $4$ .

$\frac{0}{16 - 1 \cdot 16}$

Step 1.1.3.3.1.2

Multiply $- 1$ by $16$ .

$\frac{0}{16 - 16}$

Step 1.1.3.3.2

Subtract $16$ from $16$ .

$\frac{0}{0}$

Step 1.1.3.3.3

The expression contains a division by $0$ . The expression is undefined.

Undefined

$\frac{0}{0}$

Step 1.1.3.4

The expression contains a division by $0$ . The expression is undefined.

Undefined

$\frac{0}{0}$

Step 1.1.4

The expression contains a division by $0$ . The expression is undefined.

Undefined

$\frac{0}{0}$

Step 1.2

Since $\frac{0}{0}$ is of indeterminate form, apply L'Hospital's Rule. L'Hospital's Rule states that the limit of a quotient of functions is equal to the limit of the quotient of their derivatives.

$lim_{x \to 2} \frac{x^{5} - 32}{x^{4} - 16} = lim_{x \to 2} \frac{\frac{d}{d x} [x^{5} - 32]}{\frac{d}{d x} [x^{4} - 16]}$

Step 1.3

Find the derivative of the numerator and denominator.

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.3.1

Differentiate the numerator and denominator.

$lim_{x \to 2} \frac{\frac{d}{d x} [x^{5} - 32]}{\frac{d}{d x} [x^{4} - 16]}$

Step 1.3.2

By the Sum Rule, the derivative of $x^{5} - 32$ with respect to $x$ is $\frac{d}{d x} [x^{5}] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 32]$ .

$lim_{x \to 2} \frac{\frac{d}{d x} [x^{5}] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 32]}{\frac{d}{d x} [x^{4} - 16]}$

Step 1.3.3

Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that $\frac{d}{d x} [x^{n}]$ is $n x^{n - 1}$ where $n = 5$ .

$lim_{x \to 2} \frac{5 x^{4} + \frac{d}{d x} [- 32]}{\frac{d}{d x} [x^{4} - 16]}$

Step 1.3.4

Since $- 32$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $- 32$ with respect to $x$ is $0$ .

$lim_{x \to 2} \frac{5 x^{4} + 0}{\frac{d}{d x} [x^{4} - 16]}$

Step 1.3.5

Add $5 x^{4}$ and $0$ .

$lim_{x \to 2} \frac{5 x^{4}}{\frac{d}{d x} [x^{4} - 16]}$

Step 1.3.6

By the Sum Rule, the derivative of $x^{4} - 16$ with respect to $x$ is $\frac{d}{d x} [x^{4}] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 16]$ .

$lim_{x \to 2} \frac{5 x^{4}}{\frac{d}{d x} [x^{4}] + \frac{d}{d x} [- 16]}$

Step 1.3.7

Differentiate using the Power Rule which states that $\frac{d}{d x} [x^{n}]$ is $n x^{n - 1}$ where $n = 4$ .

$lim_{x \to 2} \frac{5 x^{4}}{4 x^{3} + \frac{d}{d x} [- 16]}$

Step 1.3.8

Since $- 16$ is constant with respect to $x$ , the derivative of $- 16$ with respect to $x$ is $0$ .

$lim_{x \to 2} \frac{5 x^{4}}{4 x^{3} + 0}$

Step 1.3.9

Add $4 x^{3}$ and $0$ .

$lim_{x \to 2} \frac{5 x^{4}}{4 x^{3}}$

Step 1.4

Cancel the common factor of $x^{4}$ and $x^{3}$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.4.1

Factor $x^{3}$ out of $5 x^{4}$ .

$lim_{x \to 2} \frac{x^{3} (5 x)}{4 x^{3}}$

Step 1.4.2

Cancel the common factors.

Tap for more steps...

Step 1.4.2.1

Factor $x^{3}$ out of $4 x^{3}$ .

$lim_{x \to 2} \frac{x^{3} (5 x)}{x^{3} \cdot 4}$

Step 1.4.2.2

Cancel the common factor.

$lim_{x \to 2} \frac{x^{3} (5 x)}{x^{3} \cdot 4}$

Step 1.4.2.3

Rewrite the expression.

$lim_{x \to 2} \frac{5 x}{4}$

Step 2

Move the term $\frac{5}{4}$ outside of the limit because it is constant with respect to $x$ .

$\frac{5}{4} lim_{x \to 2} x$

Step 3

Evaluate the limit of $x$ by plugging in $2$ for $x$ .

$\frac{5}{4} \cdot 2$

Step 4

Cancel the common factor of $2$ .

Tap for more steps...

Step 4.1

Factor $2$ out of $4$ .

$\frac{5}{2 (2)} \cdot 2$

Step 4.2

Cancel the common factor.

$\frac{5}{2 \cdot 2} \cdot 2$

Step 4.3

Rewrite the expression.

$\frac{5}{2}$

Step 5

The result can be shown in multiple forms.

Exact Form:

$\frac{5}{2}$

Decimal Form:

$2.5$