I have an Epsilon Delta definition of limits in my textbook that says:
The limit of $f(x)$ as $x$ goes to $a$ is $L$, if for every $\epsilon$ there is a $\delta$ so that whenever
$0<|x-a|<\delta$ we have $|f(x)-L|< \epsilon$
I have a hard time understanding the meaing of $\delta$ in Epsilon Delta definition of limits.
As $x$ approaches $a$, we have a difference $|x-a|$.
Isn't that value, $|x-a|$, the meaning of $\delta$?
You have to think of $\epsilon$ and $\delta$ as radius of certain neigborhoods of $L$ and $a$ respectivly. The idea is that no matter how close you "ask" the function to be to L (how small you chose $\epsilon$ to be), you can always find some $\delta$ that verifies that whenever the distance from $x$ to $a$ is less than $\delta$ you will get that $f(x)$ is as close as you wanted to $L$ (the distance from $f(x)$ to $L$ is less than $\epsilon$)