#Teach me about epsilon delta definition in limit.

120 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

fast arrow
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Can anyone teach me epsilon delta definition, cause I really don't comprehend about it.

(Lim x→a) f(x)=L
∀ε>0, ∃δ>0, s.t. 0 < |x-a| < δ, | f(x)-L | < ε despairdespairdespair

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latent spruce
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$$(\lim_{x\to a} f(x) = L) \longleftrightarrow \forall \varepsilon>0\exists\delta>0(0 < |x-a| < \delta \rightarrow |f(x)-L|<\varepsilon )$$

fast arrow
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Em

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What's epsilon represent

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In that limit

latent spruce
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he will tell you

tardy pelicanBOT
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(xy)²=(yz)²=(xz)²=xyyzxz=-1

fast arrow
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Em

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I need to know the epsilon stand for what?

wooden hatch
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It's a tolerance

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the inequality |a - b| < epsilon , means that the distance between a and b is less than epsilon, it's like a tolerance in engineering

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for example

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you need to construct a tube with radius 40 units, tolerance is 1

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this means that |40 - the actual thing you constructed| < 1

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if you constructed a thing that's 39.5

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you would get 40 - 39.5 = 0.5 which is less than our chosen tolerance/epsilon, therefore it's what you were searching for

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in the formal definition of limit something similar happens

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$|f(x) - L| < \epsilon$

tardy pelicanBOT
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Ambilogy

wooden hatch
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means that the difference between the function evaluated at a point x near the limit, and the limit, is less than some tolerance epsilon

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the distance between them is what I mean.

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delta is another tolerance but it's between x and a

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the formal definition of limit brought to some informality, basically means:

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that no matter what tolerance epsilon for the output of the function (no matter how small is it), you can find another tolerance delta for the input of the function that makes it true/consistent

fast arrow
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Let say the limit is 5

So you say that f(4.99999)L-f(5) is less than epsilon ?

fast arrow
wooden hatch
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lets say the limit is 5, now you choose an epsilon, any epsilon

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let's say the function is

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x+2

fast arrow
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So

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4.99999+2 and 5+2 is less than epsilon?

wooden hatch
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let me define the function then we'll interpret the formal def

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no

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First define the function: $f(x) = x + 2$ is our function, now we claim that $\lim_{x \to 3} f(x) = L = 5$

tardy pelicanBOT
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Ambilogy

wooden hatch
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what this means is

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in the formal definition

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for any epsilon, for example 0.1

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we can find a delta, that will make true $|f(x) - 5| < 0.1$

tardy pelicanBOT
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Ambilogy

wooden hatch
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look at the graph of the function

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when x aproaches 3

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f(x) aproaches 5

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we can choose any epsilon around 5, for example:

fast arrow
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x+2-5 = x-3
so x<3.1?

wooden hatch
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0.1 as I said earlier.

fast arrow
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Ok

wooden hatch
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look at what happens

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if we look at the point where x aproaches 3

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in the graph

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the y coordinate is 5

fast arrow
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It's 5

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So?

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?

wooden hatch
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yes, the formal definition of limit is we can choose any neighboorhood around y = 5

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and yet we can find a neighborhood around x = 3 that can aproximate it better, look at this graph

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this is

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5 plus or minus epsilon

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well we can find a delta around 3, that can give a better aproximation

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what the limit says is

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no matter how close the red lines are to 5

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you can always find some green lines around the x that will give a better aproximation

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the green lines around 3 are the delta

latent spruce
latent spruce
fast arrow
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No

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I need to comprehend...

fast arrow
wooden hatch
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whats the highest math you've studied?

wooden hatch
fast arrow
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Ok

wooden hatch
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actually

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it would be the number such that when you sum or substract from 5, you get the red lines

fast arrow
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So epsilon?

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The red line is epsilon?

wooden hatch
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epsilon is an arbitrary number, no matter which one you choose, that generates those red lines

latent spruce
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epsilon is the distance between the limit and the red line

fast arrow
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so

wooden hatch
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and the formal definition is that you can find another number that generates the blue lines that get closer to the five

latent spruce
wooden hatch
fast arrow
wooden hatch
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hmm

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∀ε>0, ∃δ>0, s.t. 0 < |x-a| < δ, | f(x)-L | < ε

fast arrow
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For delta it's also same right?

wooden hatch
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look at the definition

latent spruce
fast arrow
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But

wooden hatch
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translate it into english "for any epsilon, no matter how small, but bigger than 0, you can find a delta bigger than zero such that, if delta is around a, then epsilon is around L"

fast arrow
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Why the 0< exist in 0<|x-a|<delta for Lim(x→a)?

latent spruce
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distance cant be 0

wooden hatch
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yeah

fast arrow
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Ok

latent spruce
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because that point in limit doesn't exist

fast arrow
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Ok im done

wooden hatch
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you got it or you decided to leave it for later?

latent spruce
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(remember that limit is approach not equal to)

fast arrow
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Leave it for later

wooden hatch
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okay

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work a lot with inequalities and absolute values

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first

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then try again

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when you don't understand something, chances are it isn't the day for it or you lack some fundamental concept, therefore work in fundamental concepts, try another day

latent spruce
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^

wooden hatch
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you might actually want to revise your informal definition of limit as well, since what might be happening is

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that your informal definition is so different from the formal that your brain can't connect what you knew to the new definition

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you might've tought that the limit was just evaluating the function at that point but saying it in a fancy way, but suddently you can't actually evaluate the function at that point so it's very hard to make peace with what you thought before

fast arrow
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Em my friend also learn about function even though he's learning lower math

wooden hatch
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comparing yourself to other people will demotivate you

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compare yoursefl to yourself

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are you getting better at math as you study? if yes then good

fast arrow
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How can I see my post after I close the thread?

wooden hatch
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no idea

fast arrow
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