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Find the limit, if it exists, of lim (x, y)→(0, 0) x² y² / (x² + y²)¹⁶ - 4?

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Final answer:

To find the limit of the given function, we can use the technique of polar coordinates. By substituting x = r cosθ and y = r sinθ and letting (r, θ) approach (0, 0), we can simplify and evaluate the expression to find that the limit is -4.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the limit of the given function, we can use the technique of polar coordinates. We substitute x = r cosθ and y = r sinθ, and let (r, θ) approach (0, 0) as (x, y) approaches (0, 0). The limit expression becomes:

lim (r, θ)→(0, 0) cos²θ sin²θ / (cos²θ + sin²θ)¹⁶ - 4

Since cos²θ + sin²θ = 1, the expression becomes:

lim (r, θ)→(0, 0) cos²θ sin²θ / (1)¹⁶ - 4

Simplifying further, we get:

lim (r, θ)→(0, 0) cos²θ sin²θ / 1 - 4

Next, we can use the double angle identities for sine and cosine to rewrite the expression. The double angle identities state that sin²θ = (1 - cos(2θ))/2 and cos²θ = (1 + cos(2θ))/2. Substituting these identities into the limit expression:

lim (r, θ)→(0, 0) ((1 + cos(2θ))/2) ((1 - cos(2θ))/2) / 1 - 4

Expanding and simplifying the expression gives:

lim (r, θ)→(0, 0) (1 - cos²(2θ))/4 - 4

Since 1 - cos²(2θ) = sin²(2θ), the expression becomes:

lim (r, θ)→(0, 0) sin²(2θ)/4 - 4

At this point, we can substitute back the original variables x and y to get:

lim (x, y)→(0, 0) sin²(2θ)/4 - 4

Finally, as (x, y) approaches (0, 0), θ approaches 0 as well. Therefore, we can substitute 0 for θ in the expression:

lim (x, y)→(0, 0) sin²(2(0))/4 - 4

Substituting θ = 0 gives:

lim (x, y)→(0, 0) sin²(0)/4 - 4

Simplifying sin²(0) gives:

lim (x, y)→(0, 0) 0/4 - 4

And further simplification gives:

lim (x, y)→(0, 0) -4

Therefore, the limit of the given expression as (x, y) approaches (0, 0) is -4.

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