Suppose that lim_(xrarrc) f(x) = 0 and there exists a constant K such that ∣g(x)∣ ≤ K " for all " x nec in some open interval containing c. Show that lim_(x→c) (f(x)g(x)) = 0?

2 Answers
May 8, 2016

If K = 0 then g(x) = 0 for all x!=c in some open interval containing c, and so lim_(x->c)(f(x)g(x)) = lim_(x->c)0=0. Then, for the remainder of the explanation, we will assume K > 0.

Using the epsilon-delta definition of limits, we can say that lim_(x->c)(f(x)g(x))=0 if for every epsilon > 0 there exists a delta > 0 such that 0<|x-c| < delta implies |f(x)g(x)-0| < epsilon.

To show that this is the case, first we let epsilon > 0 be arbitrary.

Now, as K/epsilon>0 and lim_(x->c)f(x)=0, we know by the above definition there exists some delta'>0 such that |g(x)| < K for x in (c-delta',c+delta') \\ {c} and if 0<|x-c| < delta' then |f(x) - 0| < epsilon/K.

Let delta = delta'. Then, for 0 < |x - c| < delta, noting that as |x-c| > 0 we know that x!=c, we have

|f(x)g(x)-0| = |f(x)g(x)|

=|g(x)| * |f(x)|

<= K|f(x)|" " (as x in (c-delta',c+delta')\\c => K >= |g(x)|)

< K(epsilon/K)" " (as 0 < |x-c| < delta = delta' => |f(x)| < epsilon/K)

=epsilon

Thus, as we have demonstrated the existence of such a delta for an arbitrary epsilon, we may conclude that lim_(x->c)(f(x)g(x)) = 0.

May 8, 2016

See below for a proof using the squeeze theorem.

Explanation:

lim_(xrarrc)f(x) = 0 implies lim_(xrarrc)abs(f(x)) = 0

abs(g(x)) <= K if and only if -K <= g(x) <= K for x sufficiently close to c except perhaps at x=c.

-K <= g(x) <= K and abs(f(x)) >= 0 implies

-abs(f(x)) K <= abs(f(x)) g(x) <= abs(f(x)) K.

Now, since lim_(xrarrc)(-abs(f(x)) K) = 0 = lim_(xrarrc)(abs(f(x)) K),

we can conclude that lim_(xrarrc)(abs(f(x)) g(x)) = 0.