TITLE: Limits: How to evaluate $\lim\limits_{x\rightarrow \infty}\sqrt[n]{x^{n}+a_{n-1}x^{n-1}+\cdots+a_{0}}-x$
QUESTION [65 upvotes]: This is being asked in an effort to cut down on duplicates, see here: Coping with abstract duplicate questions, and here: List of abstract duplicates.

What methods can be used to evaluate the limit $$\lim_{x\rightarrow\infty} \sqrt[n]{x^{n}+a_{n-1}x^{n-1}+\cdots+a_{0}}-x.$$
In other words, if I am given a polynomial $P(x)=x^n + a_{n-1}x^{n-1} +\cdots +a_1 x+ a_0$, how would I find $$\lim_{x\rightarrow\infty} P(x)^{1/n}-x.$$
For example, how would I evaluate limits such as $$\lim_{x\rightarrow\infty} \sqrt{x^2 +x+1}-x$$ or $$\lim_{x\rightarrow\infty} \sqrt[5]{x^5 +x^3 +99x+101}-x.$$

REPLY [9 votes]: Possibly more elementary proof based on $\frac{c^{n}-d^{n}}{c-d} = \sum_{k=0}^{n-1} c^{n-1-k} d^k$. Using this for $c = \sqrt[n]{ x^n+ \sum_{m=0}^{n-1} a_m x^m }$ and $d=x$.
$$
  c - d = \frac{c^{n}-d^{n}}{ \sum_{k=0}^{n-1} c^{n-1-k} d^k } = \frac{ a_{n-1} x^{n-1} + \ldots + a_1 x + a_0}{ x^{n-1} \sum_{k=0}^{n-1} (\frac{c}{d})^{n-1-k}  } = \frac{ a_{n-1} + a_{n-2} x^{-1} + \ldots +  a_0 x^{1-n}}{\sum_{k=0}^{n-1} (\frac{c}{d})^{n-1-k}  }
$$
Now $\lim_{x\to \infty} \frac{c}{d} = \lim_{x \to \infty} \sqrt[n]{ 1 + \frac{a_{n-1}}{x} + \ldots + \frac{a_0}{x^n} } = 1$. This gives $\frac{a_{n-1}}{n}$.