Unit 1 - Limits and Continuity

A Brief Review

Existence of a Limit
In order for a limit to exist, the limit must be the same as it is approached from the LEFT and the
RIGHT!!!
10

8 y = x2

0
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
-2

-4

Nonexistence of a Limit
(I) One-Sided Limits – f(x) approaches a different number from the left as it does from the right

(II) Unbounded Behavior – f(x) increases or decreases without bound to infinity or negative infinity

(III) Oscillating Behavior – f(x) wavers between 2 fixed values as x approaches some number, “c”

For example…

x 1 1
f ( x)  f ( x)  f ( x)  sin  
x x2  x

Evaluating a Limit
Choice 1 - Direct Substitution: If you get a real number, there’s your limit!

0
0

Choice 2 – Algebraic Manipulation

 Factoring
 Rationalizing
 Simplifying a Complex Fraction
 Identities
 Unit 1 - Limits and Continuity
A Brief Review

One-Sided Limit Notation

lim Denotes a left-handed limit (values very close to “c” from the left side of the number line)
x c 

lim Denotes a right-handed limit (values very close to “c” from the right side of the number line)
x c 

Some Examples

x 3 x  22
lim lim
(1) x 3 (2) x3 5
x3 x  22

1 1

(3) lim x4 4
x
x0

Special Trig Limits

sin x 1  cos
lim 1 lim 0
x x
x0 x0
Some Examples
sec(x)  1 sin(4 x)
lim lim
(1) x sec( x) (2) x
x0 x0
 Unit 1 - Limits and Continuity
A Brief Review

AP Multiple Choice
tan 4 x
lim 
x  0 6x

1 2 2
(A) (B) (C) 0 (D)  (E) does not exist
3 3 3

What About Piecewise Functions?

 x 2  3, 0  x  p
AP Example: Given f(x)   ,
6, x p

lim f ( x)
For what value of p does exist on the domain specified?
x p

Continuity – Defined
For a function f(x) to be continuous at a point - let’s call it “c” - the following 3 conditions
MUST ALL be met:

I) f (c) must be defined

II) lim f (x) exists

x c

III) lim f (x) must equal f (c)

x c
 Unit 1 - Limits and Continuity
A Brief Review

Disontinuity – Defined
A function is said to be discontinuous at “c” if one of the continuity properties is NOT MET!!!

Continuity on an Open Interval

A ftn is continuous on an open interval (a, b) if it is continuous on every value IN the interval.

(a) A function denoted continuous on ( , ) is said to be CONTINUOUS EVERYWHERE!

(b) All polynomial functions are CONTINUOUS EVERYWHERE!

Categories of Discontinuity
Removable: If the function has a limit as x  c once the function has been simplified.

Non-removable: if limit DNE as x  c

Examples
Find the discontinuity of each and label them as removable or non-removable.

x2 x2
Ex 1: f ( x)  Ex 2: f ( x) 
x  3x  10
2
x2  4
 Unit 1 - Limits and Continuity
A Brief Review

Continuity on a Closed Interval

A ftn is continuous on a closed interval [a, b] if:

(a) it is continuous on (a, b)

(b) lim f ( x)  f (a)

xa

(c) lim f ( x)  f (b)

x b 

Examples

Ex 1: Given f ( x)  x , is this function continuous on [0, ) ?

5  x, 1  x  2
Ex 2: Given g ( x)   2 Is g ( x) continuous on [1,3] ?
 x  1, 2  x  3

An AP Example
2 x  1

g ( x)  ax  b  1  x  3
2 x3


Find the constants, a and b, such that the function shown is continuous on (, ) .
 Unit 1 - Limits and Continuity
A Brief Review

Intermediate Value Theorem (IVT)

If a function is continuous on [a, b], and k is any number between f (a) and f (b) , then there is at
least one number, c, in [a, b] such that f (c)  k .

***In other words, the IVT GUARANTEES the existence of at least one number, c, ON the
closed interval to have a function value between f (a) and f (b) .

Come again? Let’s look at a picture!

IVT Examples

Ex 1: Given f ( x)  x 3  2 x  1 , prove that f ( x) has at least one root (zero) in the interval [0, 1].

Ex 2: Given f ( x)  x 2  4 , prove that f ( x) has at least one root (zero) in the interval [0, 5].
 Unit 1 - Limits and Continuity
A Brief Review

Examples of Infinite Limits

x2 x2
lim  lim 
Ex 1: x2  9 x2  9
x  3 x  3

Ex 2: Find any discontinuities. Differentiate between vertical asymptotes and removable discontinuities.

x2  1 x2  2x  8
(a) f ( x)  2 (b) f ( x) 
x 1 x2  4

2 x x2
Ex 3: lim  Ex 4: lim 2  Ex 5:
x 1 1  x x 4 x  16

1
lim x 2  
x 0 x

Asymptotes - Vertical vs. Horizontal

Vertical –

Horizontal -- Definition: The line y  L is a HORIZONTAL ASYMPTOTE of the graph of f ( x) if

EITHER of the following is true:

lim f ( x)  L OR lim f ( x)  L
x  x  
 Unit 1 - Limits and Continuity
A Brief Review

Examples

 2 2x 1
Ex 1: lim 5  2  Ex 2: lim
x 
 x  x  x 1

For the following examples, find the horizontal asymptotes.

2x  5 2 x2  5
Ex 3: Ex 4:
3x 2  1 3x 2  1

2 x3  5
Ex 5:
3x 2  1