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17 votes
17 votes
Why
\lim _(x\to -3)\left(x^2-2x+4\right) is 19 and not 1??? I don't understand how lim x to -3 (x^2) become 9 and not -9???

PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEE

User Maxjakob
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1 Answer

22 votes
22 votes

The quadratic is continuous over its entire domain, which is to say we can evaluate the limit by direct substitution:


\displaystyle \lim_(x\to-3) (x^2 - 2x + 4) = (-3)^2 - 2(-3) + 4 = 9 + 6 + 4 = \boxed{19}

You are mistaking (-3)² for -3². They are not the same number.

(-3)² = (-1 × 3)² = (-1)² × 3² = 1 × 9 = 9

-3² = -1 × 3² = -1 × 9 = -9

User GFlam
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