Mathematics

Calculus APSI

WORKSHEET ON CONTINUITY AND INTERMEDIATE VALUE THEOREM

Work the following on notebook paper. Use the definition of continuity to tell why each of the
following graphs of y  f ( x) is not continuous at x  a .

a a a

1. 2. 3.
Use the definition of continuity to justify. Sketch each problem.
3, x  1

4. h  
x  2ax  b,  1  x  1 Is h continuous at x  1 if a  3 and b  3 ? Justify.
3, x  1


 x  3, x  2
5. f  x    Is f continuous at x  2 ? Justify your answer.
3, x  2

Find a and b so that the function is continuous for all real numbers.
 2sin x 4, x  1
 , x0 
6. f  x    x 8. h  x   ax  b,  1  x  2
 a  4 x, x  0 4, x  2


 x2  a2
 , xa
7. g  x    x  a
6, x  a


In the following problems, a function f and a closed interval  a, b  are given. Determine if the
Intermediate Value Theorem holds for the given value of k . If the theorem holds, find a number
c such that f  c   k . If the theorem does not hold, give the reason. Sketch the curve and the line
yk.
1
9. f  x   2  x  x 2 10. f  x   9  x 2 11. f  x  
x 1
 a, b  0, 3  a, b   2.5, 3  a, b   2, 5
5
k 1 k2 k
6

Copyright © 2014 National Math + Science Initiative®, Dallas, TX. All rights reserved. Visit us online at www.nms.org

Copyright © 2016
2015 National Math + Science Initiative, Dallas, Texas. All rights reserved. Visit us online at www.nms.org.
29
 Calculus APSI

Answers to Worksheet on Continuity and the Intermediate Value Theorem

1. Since lim f ( x)  lim f ( x ), f ( x) is not continuous at x  a.

xa x a

2. lim f ( x)  lim f ( x ) but f (a ) does not exist, therefore the graph of f ( x) is not
xa xa

continuous at x  a.

3. Since lim f ( x)  f ( a ), f ( x) is not continuous at x  a.

xa

4. h is not continuous at x  1 since lim h( x)  2(3)(1)  (3)  3 and lim h( x)  3 . f is

x 1 x 1

not continuous at x  2 since lim f ( x)  lim ( x  3)  5 and the limit does not equal the value
x2 x2

of f (2) which is 3.

2sin x
6. lim  2, lim (a  4 x)  a so a  2.
x 0 x x 0

x 2  a 2 ( x  a)( x  a)
7. Since   x  a , set x  a = 6 and solve for a when x  a.
xa xa

2a  6 so a  3.

8. For continuity at x  1, Set a(1)  b  4 . For continuity at x  2, set 2a  b  4 . Solve

the system of equations to determine the values of a and b .

a  b  4

2 a  b  4

Solve by multiplying the top equation by 1 and adding to the second equation to obtain the
8
resulting equation 3a  8; a   . Substituting into the top equation for a,
3
8 12 8 4
 b  4; b    .
3 3 3 3

Copyright © 2014 National Math + Science Initiative®, Dallas, TX. All rights reserved. Visit us online at www.nms.org
 Calculus APSI

9. The function is continuous on  0, 3 and f (0)  2, f (3)  4,  4  1  2, so IVT applies. To

determine c, set f ( x)  1 and solve for x  c :

x2  x  1  0
1  1  4(1)(1) 1  5
x 
2 2

1 5
On  0, 3 , x  .
2

10. The function is continuous on  2.5, 3 but f (2.5)  1.658, f (3)  0 and k  2 does not lie
between these values, so IVT does not apply.

1 1 5
11. The function is continuous on  2,5 and f (2)  1, f (5)  ,   1 so IVT applies. To
4 4 6
1 5 11
determine c, solve  . 6  5 x  5; x  .
x 1 6 5

Copyright © 2014 National Math + Science Initiative®, Dallas, TX. All rights reserved. Visit us online at www.nms.org