Chapter 2: Limits and Continuity - Section 2.2 - Limit of a Function and Limit Laws - Exercises 2.2 - Page 56: 11

-4

We know if $f$ is a polynomial function and $a$ is any real number, then $\lim\limits_{x \to a}f(x)=f(a)$. Hence since $x^2-13$ is a polynomial, we have $\lim\limits_{x \to -3}(x^2-13)=(-3)^2-13=9-13=-4.$