Take f[x] = (3 x - 1)/Sqrt[x^2 + x +1]. Find a good global scale picture of the graph of f[x] and describe what you see.

Answer:

Clear[f];
f[x_]=(3 x - 1)/Sqrt[x^2 + x +1]
[Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr2.gif][Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr31.gif]

Now plot f[x] over several, increasingly larger ranges for x values:

[Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr2.gif][Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr32.gif]
[Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr2.gif][Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr33.gif]
[Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr2.gif][Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr34.gif]

Plot[f[x],{x,-100,100}, PlotRange->All]
[Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr2.gif][Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr35.gif]
[Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr2.gif][Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr36.gif]

Plot[f[x],{x,-1000,1000}, PlotRange->All]
[Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr2.gif][Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr37.gif]
[Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr2.gif][Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr38.gif]

This example shows that we can get different horizontal asymptotes for large positive values of x than we get for large negative values of x. The graph clearly indicates that
[Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr39.gif] f[x] = 3 and [Graphics:LimitsBasicsgr40.gif] f[x] = -3.