CONTINUOUS FUNCTIONS

Continuous motion
A continuous function
The definition of "a function is continuous at a value of x"
Limits of continuous functions
Removable discontinuity

CONTINUOUS MOTION is motion that continues without a

break. Its prototype is a straight line. There is no limit
to the smallness of the distances traversed.
Calculus wants to describe that motion mathematically,
both the distance traveled and the speed at any given time,
particularly when the speed is not constant. Solving that
mathematical problem is one of the first applications of
calculus.
In any real problem of continuous motion, the distance
traveled will be represented by a "continuous function" of
the time traveled because we always treat time
as continuous. Therefore, we must investigate what we
mean by a continuous function.
A continuous function

In the previous Lesson, we saw that the limit of a

polynomial as xapproaches any value c, is simply the value
of the polynomial at x = c.
If P(x) is a polynomial, then

Compare Example 1 and Problem 2 of Lesson 2.

We are about to see that that is the definition of a
function being "continuous at the value c." But why?

A graph is an aid to seeing a relationship between

numbers. Therefore, consider the graph of a function f(x)
on the left. That graph is a continuous, unbroken line.
Therefore we want to say that f(x) is a
continuous function. But a function is a relationship
between numbers. (Topic 3 of Precalculus.) Any definition
of a continuous function therefore must be expressed in
terms of numbers only. To do that, we must see what it is
that makes a graph -- a line -- continuous, and try to find
that same property in the numbers.
(To avoid scrolling, the figure above is repeated .)

If we think of each graph, f(x) and g(x), as having two

branches, two parts -- one to the left of x = c, and the other
to the right -- then the graph of f(x)
stays connected at x = c. The graph of g(x) on the right
does not.
In the graph of f(x), there is no gap between the two parts.

Those parts share a common boundary, the point (c, f(c)).

We saw in Lesson 1 that
that is what characterizes any continuous quantity. That is
why the graph

of f(x) is continuous at x = c.
How can we mathematically define the sentence,
"The function f(x) is continuous at x = c."?
Let us think of the values of x being in two parts: one
less than x = c, and one greater. Then as x approaches c,
both from the left and from the right, if the corresponding
values of f(x) -- those numbers -- approach f(c), those values
will share a common boundary, namely the limit -- the
number -- f(c). Upon borrowing the word "continuous" from
geometry then (Definition 1), we will say that the function is
continuous at x = c.
For example, if y = x2, and c = 4, then
(Lesson 2.)
The limit of x2 as x approaches 4 is equal to 42.
y = x2 is continuous at x = 4.

In the function g(x), however, the limit of g(x)

as x approaches c does not exist. If the left-hand limit were
the value g(c), the right-hand limit would not be g(c). That
function is discontinuous at x = c.
Here is the definition:
DEFINITION 3. A function continuous at a value of x.
We say that a function f(x) that is defined
at x = c is continuousat x = c
if the limit of f(x) as x approaches c
is equal to the value of f(x) at x = c.
In symbols, if

then f(x) is continuous at x = c.

And so for a function to be continuous at x = c, the

limit must exist as x approaches c, that is, the left- and
right-hand limits must be equal. (Definition 2.2)
If a function is continuous at every value in an interval,
then we say that the function is continuous in that interval.
And if a function is continuous in any interval, then we
simply call it a continuous function.
By "every" value, we mean every one that we might name.
See the Appendix.

Calculus is essentially about functions that are

continuous at every value in their domains. Prime
examples of continuous functions arepolynomials (Lesson
2).
Problem 1.
a) Prove that this polynomial,
f(x) = 2x2 3x + 5,
a) is continuous at x = 1.

To see the answer, pass your mouse over the

colored area.
To cover the answer again, click "Refresh"
("Reload").
Do the problem yourself first!
We must apply the definition of "continuous at
a value ofx," Definition 3. That is, we must show
that when xapproaches 1 as a limit, f(x)
approaches f(1), which is 4.
And according to the theorems on limits, that is
true.
f(x) therefore is continuous at x = 1.
b) Can you think of any value of x where that polynomial -or any
b) polynomial -- would not be continuous?
You should not be able to. Polynomials are
continuous everywhere. As x approaches any
limit c, any polynomial
P(x) approaches P(c). (Lesson 2)
Problems 4, 5, 6 and 7 of Lesson 2 are examples of
functions -- polynomials -- that are continuous at each
given value.
In addition to polynomials, the following functions also
are continuous at every value in their domains.

Rational functions
Root functions
Trigonometric functions
Inverse trigonometric functions
Logarithmic functions
Exponential functions
These are the functions that one encounters
throughout calculus.
Limits of continuous functions

Like any definition, the definition of a continuous function

is reversible. That means, if
then we may say that f(x) is continuous. And conversely, if
we say thatf(x) is continuous, then
Therefore:
To evaluate the limit of any continuous
function as x approaches a value, simply evaluate
the function at that value.
Definition 3.

Example 2. Evaluate
Solution.
The student should have a firm grasp of the basic
values of the trigonometric functions. In calculus, they are
indispensable. See Topics 15 and 16 of Trigonometry.

Problem 2. Evaluate
sin 0 = 0.
Problem 3. Evaluate

Problem 4. Velocity, v(t), is a continuous function of

time t. Let
v(t) = 2t 2 + 1.
If distance is measured in meters, and the function is
defined at
t = 5 sec, then explain why

Since v(t) is a continuous function, then the

limit as tapproaches 5 is equal to the value of v(t)
at t = 5.

If a function is not continuous at a value, then it

is discontinuous at that value. Here is the graph of a
function that is discontinuous at x = 0.

This is the graph of

1 . At x = 0, the function is not

x defined,
y=
because division by 0 is an excluded operation. (Skill in
Algebra, Lesson 5.) x = 0 is a point of discontinuity. In
fact, as x approaches 0 -- whether from the right or from
the left -- y does not approach any number.
Nevertheless, as x increases continuously in an
interval that does not include 0, then y will decrease
continuously in that interval. We say,

"The function
y=

1 is continuous for all values

x of x except x = 0."

Equivalently,
"The function
y=

1 is continuous for all values of x in its

x domain."

Example 3. Consider this function:

f(x)

x2 4
x2

This function is undefined at x = 2, and therefore it is

discontinuous there; however, we will come back to
this below.
The function nevertheless is defined at all other values
of x, and it is continuous at all other values.
For example, as x approaches 8, then according to
the Theorems of Lesson 2, f(x) approaches f(8).
f(8) =

60
6

= 10.

f(x) therefore is continuous at x = 8. (Definition 3.)

In this same way, we could show that the function is
continuous at all values of x except x = 2.

This is an example of a perverse function, in which the

function is deliberately assigned a value different from the

limit as x approaches 1. That limit is 5. But the value of

the function at x = 1 is 17. f(x) is not continuous at x =
1.
In lessons on continuous functions, such problems
(logical jokes?) tend to be common. They are constructed
to test the student's understanding of the definition of
continuity. Such functions have a very brief lifetime
however. After the lesson on continuous functions, the
student will never see their like again.
Removable discontinuity

For a function to be continuous at x = c, it must exist

at x = c. However, when a function does not exist at x = c,
it is sometimes possible to assign a value so that it will be
continuous there.
This function
f(x)

x2 4
x2

does not exist at x = 2. But for every value of x

x2 4
x2

(x + 2)(x 2)
x2

Therefore, as x approaches 2,
(Compare Example 2 of Lesson 2.) That is,

2:

x + 2.

Now, f(x) is not defined at x = 2 -- but we could define

it. We could define it to have the value of that limit We
could say,
"At x = 2, let f(x) have the value 4."

If we do that, then f(x) will be continuous at x = 2 -because the limit at that value will be the value of the
function.
(Definition 3.)
When we are able to do that -- define a function at a
value where it is undefined and therefore discontinuous -we say that the function has aremovable discontinuity.
f(x) above is such a function.
Problem 5. Consider this function:
y=

5x
x

a) For which value of x is this function discontinuous?

x = 0.
b) Define the function there so that it will be continuous.
For all values except x = 0, the function has
the value 5. Hence, if we define the function to
have the value 5 at x = 0, then we have
successfully removed the discontinuity.

Next Lesson: The "limit" infinity ()

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