[Math] Can the sum of two limits exist when one of them exists and the other doesn’t

calculuslimitsproof-verification

I'm trying to evaluate this sum of limits:

$$ \lim_{x \to 4} \frac{x^4 – 64}{x-4} + \lim_{x \to 900} \frac{900-x}{30-\sqrt{x}} $$

And I noticed that this limit $ \lim_{x \to 4} \frac{x^4 – 64}{x-4}$ doesn't exist, since the numerator is positive and the denominator is positive for $x \to 4^+$ and negative for $x \to 4^-$. But the $\lim_{x \to 900} \frac{900-x}{30-\sqrt{x}}$ exists and is equal to $60$ (I used L'Hôpital's rule). So my intuition says this sum can't exist, because I can't sum something that doesn't exist to something that exists, but the lack of rigor in this is making me suspicious, specially because Wolfram says the limit is $\infty$.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Best Answer

Suppose that the limit of a sum of two functions exists and the limit of one by itself also exists. Then you have a situation where for some real $L$ and $M$ $$\lim_{x \rightarrow a}f(x) + g(x) = L$$ and $$\lim_{x \rightarrow a}f(x)=M.$$ Whenever both limits exist, we can use the difference rule for limits, giving us $$L-M =\lim_{x \rightarrow a}f(x) + g(x) - \lim_{x \rightarrow a}f(x) = \lim_{x \rightarrow a}f(x) + g(x)-f(x)=\lim_{x \rightarrow a} g(x).$$ This proves the limit of the other function must exist as well.

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