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LECTURE 3
LIMITS & CONTINUITY

Objectives

Limits
Continuity

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Limits

Limits
One- Sided Limits
Limit Theorems
Infinite Limits
Limits at Infinity

Instantaneous Velocity

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Limits
We say that the limit of f(x) is L as x approaches
c and write this as

provided we can make f(x) as close to L as we want

for all x sufficiently close to c ( but not equal to c).

Limits

Let f(x) be a function defined around a point c,

maybe not at c itself. We have
iff, for any > 0 there exists >0 such that
The number L is called the limit of f(x) when x goes
to c.

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Example

lim

= ,

lim

lim 2 6 = 2

Theorems

If lim

lim

lim

lim[

lim

( )
=
( )

lim ( )

, lim

lim[

]=

]=

( N0)

( )

, k=constant then

(M>0)

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Example

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Use the limit theorems to compute the following

limits.
lim

lim 2 6 =

lim

9 =

Limit Theorems

P(x) is a polynomial function

lim
=

R(x) is a rational function.

(R x =
lim

( )
( )

, f and g are polynomials)

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Example

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lim

lim

Limit Theorems

If

and lim

Then lim

= lim
=

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Example

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Show that

lim x cos
x0

1
0
x

One-sided Limits

lim

lim

lim

lim

= lim

lim

lim

lim

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Example

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0
0 15,000
0.15(

15,000)
15,000
< 40,000
T x =
3,750 + ( 40,000)
40,000 <

lim
lim

lim

( )=
( )=

( )=

Infinite Limits

lim

lim

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Vertical Asymptotes

Limits at Infinity

lim

lim

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Example

lim

lim (

9 )

Horizontal Asymptotes

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Oblique Asymptotes

Example

)(

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Continuity

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Continuity
Discontinuity
Intermediate Value Theorem

Continuity

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Definition

A function f is continuous at x=c if

f(c)

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lim

exists

lim

exists

= f(c)

Example

Is the following function continuous at x=2

=

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Example

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Is the following function continuous at x=3?

=

Example

Is the following function continuous at x=3?

=

3
=3

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Example

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Is the following function continuous at x=3?

=

2 6

3
<3

Theorem
If f(x) and g(x) are continuous at c. Then
f(x) + g(x) is continuous at c;
kf(x) is continuous at c, where k is an arbitrary
number;
f(x).g(x) is continuous at c;
f(x)/g(x) is continuous at c, provided g(c) 0;
If f(x) is continuous at c and g(x) is continuous at f(c),
then their composition g0f is continuous at c.

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Discontinuity
Undefined
Point
Jump

c
Asymptote

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Local Discontinuity

The limit does

not exist.

Undefined
Point
c

f(c) is not
defined.

Jump

The limit and f(c)

are not equal.

Asymptote

f(c) is not
defined and
the limit
does not
exist.

Uniquely
Defined
Point

Uniquely
Defined
Point

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Types of Local Discontinuity

Removable

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The limit does

not exist.

Undefined
Point

f(c) is not
defined.

Jump

Jump

The limit and f(c)

are not equal.

Asymptote

f(c) is not
defined and
the limit
does not
exist.

Infinite

Uniquely
Defined
Point

Removable

Continuous Functions

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Continuous on an Interval

Continuous Function

The
The

function is continuous for all values in the interval.

function is continuous for all values in its domain

NOTE: Continuous Function does not mean continuous

at all real numbers (i.e. everywhere).
Example:

f ( x)

1
x

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Continuous Functions Examples

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Polynomial Functions
Rational Functions (not where the denominator is zero)
Absolute Value Functions
Radical Functions (domain may be limited)
Trigonometric Functions and their Inverses (domain may be
limited)

Continuous Functions Examples

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Exponential and Logarithmic Functions (domain may be limited)

Combinations of Continuous Functions
sums,

differences, products, multiples, quotients, powers,

roots, & compositions
Note: domain may change or be limited

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The Intermediate Value Theorem

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If f(x) is continuous over [a,b] and k is any value

between f(a) and f(b), then there exists at least one
number c in [a,b] where f(c) = k
f(b)
k

f(x)

f(a)
a

c1

c2

c3

Intermediate Value Theorem

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Example: Show that the equation x2016 + 2x - 1 = 0

has a solution in the interval [0,1]

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Bisection method

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Purpose: Finding roots of equations.

Basic: Intermediate Value Property + Effectively cut
the interval in half in each iteration.
Properties: Slow, always convergent, accuracy based
on number of iterations.

Conclusion

Limits
Limit Theorems
Continuity
Intermediate Value Theorem.

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