Sullivan Osborne
03/16/2024 · Elementary School
4. \( \lim _{x \rightarrow a} \frac{(x-a)}{\left(x^{3}-a^{3}\right)} \)
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Tutor-Verified Answer
Step-by-step Solution
To evaluate the limit
\[
\lim_{x \rightarrow a} \frac{(x-a)}{x^3 - a^3},
\]
we first recognize that as \( x \) approaches \( a \), both the numerator and the denominator approach 0, resulting in an indeterminate form \( \frac{0}{0} \). To resolve this, we can factor the denominator.
The expression \( x^3 - a^3 \) can be factored using the difference of cubes formula:
\[
x^3 - a^3 = (x - a)(x^2 + ax + a^2).
\]
Substituting this factorization into our limit gives:
\[
\lim_{x \rightarrow a} \frac{(x-a)}{(x-a)(x^2 + ax + a^2)}.
\]
We can cancel the \( (x-a) \) terms in the numerator and denominator (as long as \( x \neq a \)):
\[
\lim_{x \rightarrow a} \frac{1}{x^2 + ax + a^2}.
\]
Now, we can directly substitute \( x = a \) into the remaining expression:
\[
x^2 + ax + a^2 = a^2 + a \cdot a + a^2 = a^2 + a^2 + a^2 = 3a^2.
\]
Thus, the limit simplifies to:
\[
\frac{1}{3a^2}.
\]
Therefore, the final result is:
\[
\lim_{x \rightarrow a} \frac{(x-a)}{x^3 - a^3} = \frac{1}{3a^2}.
\]
Quick Answer
The limit is \( \frac{1}{3a^2} \).
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