Given limit
We need to evaluate
L = lim x → ∞ ( 3 x + 1 + 3 x − 1 ) 6 + ( 3 x + 1 − 3 x − 1 ) 6 ( x + x 2 − 1 ) 6 + ( x − x 2 − 1 ) 6 x 3 L=\lim_{x\to\infty}
\frac{(\sqrt{3x+1}+\sqrt{3x-1})^6+(\sqrt{3x+1}-\sqrt{3x-1})^6}
{\left(x+\sqrt{x^2-1}\right)^6+\left(x-\sqrt{x^2-1}\right)^6}\,x^3 L = x → ∞ lim ( x + x 2 − 1 ) 6 + ( x − x 2 − 1 ) 6 ( 3 x + 1 + 3 x − 1 ) 6 + ( 3 x + 1 − 3 x − 1 ) 6 x 3
Use the identity
For any a , b a,b a , b ,
( a + b ) 6 + ( a − b ) 6 = 2 ( a 6 + 15 a 4 b 2 + 15 a 2 b 4 + b 6 ) (a+b)^6+(a-b)^6=2\left(a^6+15a^4b^2+15a^2b^4+b^6\right) ( a + b ) 6 + ( a − b ) 6 = 2 ( a 6 + 15 a 4 b 2 + 15 a 2 b 4 + b 6 )
We apply this to the numerator with
a = 3 x + 1 , b = 3 x − 1 a=\sqrt{3x+1},\qquad b=\sqrt{3x-1} a = 3 x + 1 , b = 3 x − 1
Then
a 2 = 3 x + 1 , b 2 = 3 x − 1 a^2=3x+1,\qquad b^2=3x-1 a 2 = 3 x + 1 , b 2 = 3 x − 1
So
( a + b ) 6 + ( a − b ) 6 = 2 ( ( 3 x + 1 ) 3 + 15 ( 3 x + 1 ) 2 ( 3 x − 1 ) + 15 ( 3 x + 1 ) ( 3 x − 1 ) 2 + ( 3 x − 1 ) 3 ) (a+b)^6+(a-b)^6=2\left((3x+1)^3+15(3x+1)^2(3x-1)+15(3x+1)(3x-1)^2+(3x-1)^3\right) ( a + b ) 6 + ( a − b ) 6 = 2 ( ( 3 x + 1 ) 3 + 15 ( 3 x + 1 ) 2 ( 3 x − 1 ) + 15 ( 3 x + 1 ) ( 3 x − 1 ) 2 + ( 3 x − 1 ) 3 )
But an easier way is to first compute
a 2 + b 2 = ( 3 x + 1 ) + ( 3 x − 1 ) = 6 x a^2+b^2=(3x+1)+(3x-1)=6x a 2 + b 2 = ( 3 x + 1 ) + ( 3 x − 1 ) = 6 x
a 2 b 2 = ( 3 x + 1 ) ( 3 x − 1 ) = 9 x 2 − 1 a^2b^2=(3x+1)(3x-1)=9x^2-1 a 2 b 2 = ( 3 x + 1 ) ( 3 x − 1 ) = 9 x 2 − 1
Using
( a + b ) 6 + ( a − b ) 6 = 2 ( ( a 2 + b 2 ) 3 − 3 a 2 b 2 ( a 2 + b 2 ) + 12 a 2 b 2 ( a 2 + b 2 ) ) (a+b)^6+(a-b)^6=2\left((a^2+b^2)^3-3a^2b^2(a^2+b^2)+12a^2b^2(a^2+b^2)\right) ( a + b ) 6 + ( a − b ) 6 = 2 ( ( a 2 + b 2 ) 3 − 3 a 2 b 2 ( a 2 + b 2 ) + 12 a 2 b 2 ( a 2 + b 2 ) )
which simplifies to
2 ( ( a 2 + b 2 ) 3 + 12 a 2 b 2 ( a 2 + b 2 ) ) 2\left((a^2+b^2)^3+12a^2b^2(a^2+b^2)\right) 2 ( ( a 2 + b 2 ) 3 + 12 a 2 b 2 ( a 2 + b 2 ) )
Hence numerator
N = 2 ( ( 6 x ) 3 + 12 ( 9 x 2 − 1 ) ( 6 x ) ) N=2\left((6x)^3+12(9x^2-1)(6x)\right) N = 2 ( ( 6 x ) 3 + 12 ( 9 x 2 − 1 ) ( 6 x ) )
N = 2 ( 216 x 3 + 72 x ( 9 x 2 − 1 ) ) N=2\left(216x^3+72x(9x^2-1)\right) N = 2 ( 216 x 3 + 72 x ( 9 x 2 − 1 ) )
N = 2 ( 216 x 3 + 648 x 3 − 72 x ) = 2 ( 864 x 3 − 72 x ) N=2\left(216x^3+648x^3-72x\right)
=2(864x^3-72x) N = 2 ( 216 x 3 + 648 x 3 − 72 x ) = 2 ( 864 x 3 − 72 x )
N = 1728 x 3 − 144 x N=1728x^3-144x N = 1728 x 3 − 144 x
Simplify the denominator
Let
p = x + x 2 − 1 , q = x − x 2 − 1 p=x+\sqrt{x^2-1},\qquad q=x-\sqrt{x^2-1} p = x + x 2 − 1 , q = x − x 2 − 1
Then
p q = x 2 − ( x 2 − 1 ) = 1 pq=x^2-(x^2-1)=1 pq = x 2 − ( x 2 − 1 ) = 1
p + q = 2 x p+q=2x p + q = 2 x
We need
D = p 6 + q 6 D=p^6+q^6 D = p 6 + q 6
Now,
p 3 + q 3 = ( p + q ) 3 − 3 p q ( p + q ) = ( 2 x ) 3 − 3 ( 1 ) ( 2 x ) = 8 x 3 − 6 x p^3+q^3=(p+q)^3-3pq(p+q)=(2x)^3-3(1)(2x)=8x^3-6x p 3 + q 3 = ( p + q ) 3 − 3 pq ( p + q ) = ( 2 x ) 3 − 3 ( 1 ) ( 2 x ) = 8 x 3 − 6 x
Therefore,
p 6 + q 6 = ( p 3 + q 3 ) 2 − 2 p 3 q 3 p^6+q^6=(p^3+q^3)^2-2p^3q^3 p 6 + q 6 = ( p 3 + q 3 ) 2 − 2 p 3 q 3
Since p q = 1 pq=1 pq = 1 , we get p 3 q 3 = 1 p^3q^3=1 p 3 q 3 = 1 . Thus
D = ( 8 x 3 − 6 x ) 2 − 2 D=(8x^3-6x)^2-2 D = ( 8 x 3 − 6 x ) 2 − 2
D = 64 x 6 − 96 x 4 + 36 x 2 − 2 D=64x^6-96x^4+36x^2-2 D = 64 x 6 − 96 x 4 + 36 x 2 − 2
Substitute into the limit
So
L = lim x → ∞ 1728 x 3 − 144 x 64 x 6 − 96 x 4 + 36 x 2 − 2 x 3 L=\lim_{x\to\infty} \frac{1728x^3-144x}{64x^6-96x^4+36x^2-2}\,x^3 L = x → ∞ lim 64 x 6 − 96 x 4 + 36 x 2 − 2 1728 x 3 − 144 x x 3
L = lim x → ∞ ( 1728 x 3 − 144 x ) x 3 64 x 6 − 96 x 4 + 36 x 2 − 2 L=\lim_{x\to\infty} \frac{(1728x^3-144x)x^3}{64x^6-96x^4+36x^2-2} L = x → ∞ lim 64 x 6 − 96 x 4 + 36 x 2 − 2 ( 1728 x 3 − 144 x ) x 3
L = lim x → ∞ 1728 x 6 − 144 x 4 64 x 6 − 96 x 4 + 36 x 2 − 2 L=\lim_{x\to\infty} \frac{1728x^6-144x^4}{64x^6-96x^4+36x^2-2} L = x → ∞ lim 64 x 6 − 96 x 4 + 36 x 2 − 2 1728 x 6 − 144 x 4
Divide numerator and denominator by x 6 x^6 x 6 :
L = lim x → ∞ 1728 − 144 x 2 64 − 96 x 2 + 36 x 4 − 2 x 6 L=\lim_{x\to\infty} \frac{1728-\frac{144}{x^2}}{64-\frac{96}{x^2}+\frac{36}{x^4}-\frac{2}{x^6}} L = x → ∞ lim 64 − x 2 96 + x 4 36 − x 6 2 1728 − x 2 144
As x → ∞ x\to\infty x → ∞ ,
L = 1728 64 = 27 L=\frac{1728}{64}=27 L = 64 1728 = 27
Check options
A: 9 9 9 ❌
B: 27 2 \frac{27}{2} 2 27 ❌
C: does not exist ❌
D: 27 27 27 ✅
Therefore, the correct answer is
27 \boxed{27} 27
which corresponds to Option D .