View Full Version : Difference Quotient and Instantaneous Rate of Change
 
 Lightning55
Aug 23, 2009, 10:53 AM
Well, so I have a question that says  f(x)=sin(200\pi x) 
Then it gives the instantaneous rate of change as  \lim_{x\to\0}=\frac{f(x)-f(0)}{x-0}
 
After plugging in the equations, I don't know how to rid the denominator of x.
 
\lim_{x\to\0}\frac{sin(200\pi x)}{x}
 
(I'm finally getting this math code thing :D )
 galactus
Aug 23, 2009, 11:23 AM
Make use of the famous limit:
 
\lim_{x\to 0}\frac{sin(x)}{x}=1
 
What is your limit then? 
 
The above limit is usually proven using the Squeeze Theorem. It may be a little daunting. That is why it is often just used as an identity because it pops up so much.
 Lightning55
Aug 23, 2009, 11:45 AM
I'm still not getting everything.
 
sin(200\pi) = 0
 
But since
 
sin(200\pi x) = sin(x)
 
(Is that right?)
Then
 
\lim_{x\to\0}\frac{sin(200\pi x)}{x} = \lim_{x\to\0}\frac{sin(x)}{x} = 1
 
Right?
 
But on my calculator, sin(200\pi x) = 0
 galactus
Aug 23, 2009, 12:52 PM
Per the limit I posted previously:
 
\lim_{x\to 0}\frac{sin(200{\pi}x)}{x}=200{\pi}
 
Look at the limit \lim_{x\to 0}\frac{sin(1\cdot x)}{x}=1
 
See the similarity?  See why the limit of the first is 200{\pi}? 
 
It's rather obvious using the last limit as a identity. 
 
If we had \lim_{x\to 0}\frac{sin(ax)}{x}=a