Calculus 1

 Lesson 1

 Introduction to Calculus
 Limits
 Differential Calculus
Calculus – is the mathematics of change
Differential Calculus - is a subfield of calculus
concerned with the study of the rates at which
quantities change
- it was invented and developed 2000 years after
Integral Calculus
- people behind its development are Pierre
Fermat, John Wallis, Isaac Barrow, Isaac Newton
and Gottfriend Liebniz.
 Applications
1. Calculate orbits of satellite & spacecraft
2. How fast prices rise
3. Forecasting weather
4. Calculating insurance premiums
5. Measuring the cardiac output of the heart
6. Maxima/minima
7. Time rates
8. Predicting population sizes
9. Where to sit in a movie house for best viewing
10. Approximate nth roots of a number
Definition of a Limit
Let f be a function defined on an open interval
containing a (except possibly at a), and let L be
a real number.The statement

lim f ( x)  L
xa

means that for each ε > 0 there exist a δ > 0 such

0 xa 
that if

then
f x   L  
Informal Definition
If f(x) be a function which is defined at every
number in some open interval containing a,
except possibly at the number a itself. The limit of
f(x), as x approaches a, is L, written as

lim f ( x)  L
xa
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION

Notice the phrase “but x  a” in the

definition of limit.
 This means that, in finding the limit of f(x) as x
approaches a, we never consider x = a.
 In fact, f(x) need not even be defined when x =
a.
 The only thing that matters is how f is defined
near a.
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION

The figure shows the graphs of

three functions.
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Example 1

Guess the value of .

x 1
lim 2
x 1 x  1
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Example 1

x 1
lim 2  0.5
x 1 x  1
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Example 1

Now, let’s change f slightly by

giving it the value 2 when x = 1 and calling
the resulting function g:
 x 1
 2 if x  1
g  x   x 1
2 if x  1
THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION Example 1

This new function g still has the

same limit as x approaches 1.
 Theorems of Limits
1. lim c  c c = constant
xa

2. lim c f x   c lim f x 
x a x a

lim f  x   L lim g  x   M
xa xa

3. lim
xa
 f x   g x   lim
xa
f  x   lim g  x 
xa

 L  M
Theorems of Limits
4. lim
xa
 f x g x   lim
xa
f  x  lim g  x 
xa

 L M 

 f x  lim f x  L 
5. lim    x a

x a
 g x   lim g x  M 
x a
IF lim ≠ 0
𝑥→𝑎
 Theorems of Limits
6. lim
x a
 f x n
x a

 lim f x   L 
n n

7. lim
x a
n f x   n lim f x  
x a
n L 
 Example
Determine the limits of the following
1. lim 5 x  27
3
x 99 6. lim

2. lim x  7 x  5
2
 x 3 x3
x 3
x  9 x  10
3

3. lim x  12 x  5 7. lim

x2 x 4
2
x 1

4. lim
x5
8. lim
 x  3  9
2

x  2 x  3 x 0 2x
x  x  12
2
5  4  3x
5. lim 9. lim
x 3 2 x 2  7 x  3 x 7 7x
 Exercises
Determine the limits of the following
y  2y  4
3
1. lim 2 x  4 x  2
4
5. lim
x 3 y 2 2 y 3  3 y  4

4 x  3x  2
2
x 1 6
2. lim 3 6. lim 2
x 0 x  2 x  6
x  1 x  4 x  5

x  2x  3
3
2h  2
3. lim 7. lim
x 2 x 5
2
h 0 h
x 1
2
3x  2  x
2
4. lim 2 8. lim
x 1 x  3 x  4
x 1 x 1
 One-Sided Limits
Right-hand Limit (RHL) also known as the limit
from the right
Definition
Let f(x) be a function that is defined at every
number in some open interval (a, c). Then the limit
of f(x), as x approaches a from the right is L, written
as:
lim f  x   L
xa

x  a means that x
approaches a through values
of x greater than a
 One-Sided Limits
Left-hand Limit (LHL) also known as the limit
from the left
Definition
Let f(x) be a function that is defined at every
number in some open interval (d, a). Then the limit
of f(x), as x approaches a from the left is L, written
as:
lim f  x   L
xa

x  a means that x
approaches a through
values of x less than a
The Existence of a Limit
Let f be a function and let a and L be a real
numbers.The limit of f(x) as x approaches a is L
if and only if

lim f  x   L and lim f  x   L

xa xa
Example
Prove the following statements

1. lim x  0
x 0

x
2. lim does not exist
x 0 x
x2
3. lim does not exist
x2 x2
Example
Determine the limits of the following
x3
1. lim  2
x  3 x  9

1  x3
2. lim
x 1
1 x2
x 3
3. lim
x 3 x2  4 x

4. lim
x 4
 4 x  5x  4 x  4
3 2

14

x 2
x 2
 3x  2 
12
 Infinite Limits
Let f be a function that is
defined at every real number
in some open interval
containing a (except possibly
at a itself). The statement
lim f x   
xa
means that for each M > 0
there exists a δ > 0 such that
f(x) > M whenever 0 < |x - a| < δ.
 Infinite Limits
Similarly, the statement
lim f x   
xa
means that for each N < 0 there
exists a δ > 0 such that f(x) < N
whenever 0 < |x - a| < δ.

To define the infinite limit from the left, replace 0 < |x - a|

< δ by a - δ < x < a.

To define the infinite limit from the right, replace 0 < |x -

a| < δ by a < x < a + δ.
 Infinite Limits
lim f x    lim f x   
xa xa

These statements does not mean that the limit

exists. These just show that the limit fails to
exist by denoting the unbounded behavior of
f(x) as x approaches a.

lim f x    increases
xa without bound

lim f x   
decreases
xa without bound
 Theorem of Infinite Limits
1
1. lim r  , r  any  int egers
x 0 x

1  , if r is even
2. lim r  
x 0 x
 , if r is odd
 Theorem of Infinite Limits
3. If lim or  f ( x)  0 and lim or  g ( x)  c or  c,
xa xa

where c = constant
g ( x)
Then lim
xa f ( x)

c c
a.    b.   
0 0
c c
c.    d .   
0 0
0+ = very small positive number
0- = very small negative number
 Theorem of Infinite Limits
4. If lim f ( x)   and lim g ( x)  c,
x a xa
c = constant
Then lim  f x   g x 
x a

a.    c   b.    c  
c.    c   d .    c  
 Theorem of Infinite Limits
5. If lim f ( x)   and lim g ( x)  c,
x a x a
c = constant
Then lim  f x   g x 
x a

a.   c   b.   c  
c.   c   d .   c  
 Example
Determine the limits of the following

x2  x  2  4  x 2 x  3 
1. lim 2 5. lim   
x 3 x  2 x  3 x 2
 x  2 x  3
x2  4
2. lim
x2 x2
 1 1 
3. lim  2 
x2  x  4 x  5 
 2
4. lim  
 x  2

x 3  x  3

2
 x  5 
 Vertical Asymptote
If f(x) approaches infinity (or negative infinity) as x
approaches a from the right or the left, then the
line x = a is a vertical asymptote of the graph of
f(x).

Therefore one of the following statements will be

true for the asymptote x = a
Vertical Asymptote
1. lim f  x    3. lim f x   
x a
xa

2. lim f x   
xa
4. lim f x   
xa
Example
Determine the limits and sketch behavior of the
following at the limit

x3
1. lim 2
x4 x  2 x  8

x2  x  2
2. lim 2
x 3 x  2 x  3

4 x 2
3. lim
x2 x2
Example
The greatest integer function is defined by 𝑥 = the largest
integer that is less than or equal to x.

4. Show
4. Shown that
that limthe𝑥lim x does
𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 not exist
𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑠𝑡
x 3
𝑥→3
x 4
5. lim
x4 x4
x2 1
6. lim
x 1 x2 1
x x
7. lim
x 3 3 x
36
 Limit at Infinity
Let L be a real number.
1. The statement
lim f x   L
x  
means that for each ε > 0 there exists an M > 0
such that |f(x) – L | < ε whenever x > M.
2. The statement
lim f x   L
x  
means that for each ε > 0 there exists an N < 0
such that |f(x) – L | < ε whenever x < N.
Limit at Infinity
These statements means that behavior of f(x)
approaches L as x approaches ±∞.
 Horizontal Asymptote
The line y = L is a horizontal asymptote of the
graph of when

lim f x   L lim f x   L
x  
or x  

These statements means that graph of f(x)

approaches the line y = L as x approaches ±∞.
lim f x   L
x   lim f x   L
x  
 Horizontal Asymptote
Point of Intersection

To determine the point

of intersections just
solve for x for f(x) = L
 Theorem of Limits at Infinity
If r is a positive rational number and c is any real
number, then
1
lim r  0
x   x

Furthermore, if xr is defined when x < 0, then

1
lim r  0
x   x

Proof (video)
 Example
8 x  3x  2 x  5
5 3 2
1. lim
x   4x  x  x 1
5 4

x 3  3x 2  2 x  8
2. lim
x   6 x 4  7 x 3  x  5

7  4 x  2 x3
3. lim
x   6 x 2  x  5
Guidelines for finding Limits at ±∞ of
Rational Functions

1. If the degree of the numerator is less than the

degree of the denominator, then the limit of
the rational function is 0.
2. If the degree of the numerator is equal to the
degree of the denominator, then the limit of
the rational function is the ratio of the
leading coefficients.
3. If the degree of the numerator is greater than
the degree of the denominator, then the limit
of the rational function does not exist.
Theorem on Horizontal Asymptote

44
 Example
3x 3  2 x  4
1. lim
x   2  3 x 2  2 x 3

2 x  5x  6 x  9
3 2
2. lim
x   5 x 3  3 x 2  7 x  10

x3  2 x  3
3. lim 4
x   x  2 x 3  1
5 x 4
 2 x 2
5
5. lim
x   5x  4
2
3x  4
4. lim 2 x 8
 2 x 3
 9 x
x  
2x  5
2
6. lim
x   6 x 4  5 x 3  3 x  2
 Squeeze Theorem
If h(x) ≤ f(x) ≤ g(x) for all x in an open
interval containing a, except
possibly at itself, and if

lim hx   L  lim g x 

x a x a

then lim f x  exists and is equal

x a
to L.

This is also known as the Sandwich Theorem or the

Pinching Theorem.
 Squeeze Theorem
Special Trigonometric Limits

sin x
1. lim 1
x 0 x
1  cos x
2. lim 0
x 0 x
 Proof for Sine Function

 tan   sin   2
 2  2  2  sin 
1 
 1
cos  sin 
sin 
reciprocal cos   1

Proof for Sine Function
sin 
cos   1

𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽 𝒔𝒊𝒏 −𝜽
Because 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽 = 𝒄𝒐𝒔 −𝜽 and = , it can
𝜽 −𝜽
conclude that the inequality is valid for all nonzero θ
−𝝅 𝝅
in the open interval , .
𝟐 𝟐

lim cos   1 and lim 1  1

x 0 x 0

sin 
Therefore the lim 1
x 0 
Proof for Cosine Function
1  cos x
lim 0
x 0 x
 Example
sin x
sin 3 6. lim
x 0
1. lim x
 0 
sin 7 x sin x
2. lim 7. lim 1/ 4
x 0 x
x 0 4x
3. lim x cot x sin 4 x
x 0
8. lim
x  0 sin 6 x
tan 6 x cot 2 x
4. lim 9. lim
x 0 sin 2 x
x  0 csc 2 x
sin x csc 5
5. lim 10. lim
x 0 5 x
  0 cot 6
 Continuity
Continuity on an Open Interval

1. A function is continuous on an open interval (a,

b) when the function is continuous at each point
in the interval.
2. A function that is continuous on the entire real
number line (-∞, +∞) is everywhere continuous.
 Continuity
Continuity at a point

A function is continuous at a when these three

conditions are met.

1. f (a ) is define.
2. lim f  x  exists.
xa

3. lim f  x   f (a)
xa

If one or more of these three conditions is not

satisfied, then the function is discontinuous at x = a.
 Continuity
Note:

Polynomial functions - all are continuous.

Rational Expression – to determine if it has

point(s) of discontinuity, equate the
denominator to zero and solve for x.

where P and Q are polynomials in x and

Q is not the zero polynomial.
Type of Discontinuity
1. Missing-Point Discontinuity

also known as removable discontinuity

2. Infinite Discontinuity
 Type of Discontinuity
3. Finite-Jump
Discontinuity
 Missing-Point Discontinuity

1. f (a) is indetermin ate/undefi ne.

2. lim f x  exists.
xa

3. lim f  x   f (a)
xa
 Infinite Discontinuity
1. f (a) is undefine.
2. either or both
lim f x   
x a

lim f x   
x a
Finite-Jump Discontinuity

1. f (a) is define.
2. lim f x  exists.
x a

3. lim f x  exists.
x a

4. lim f x   lim f x 
x a x a
 Classifying Point of Discontinuity
1. Identify the point of discontinuity (values of x) by:
a. equating denominator to zero
b. identifying the break in unit-step fxn
c. removing the values that are not included in
the array of the domain.
2. Evaluate the limit of each value of x
a. Check for Infinite limits
b. Check LHL and RHL
c. Evaluate indeterminate form
3. Classify based on the description
 Exercise
• Determine the points of discontinuity and classify them.
• Give the equation of the vertical and horizontal
asymptotes if they exist.
• Define the function at the point where there is
removable discontinuity.
• Sketch the graph of the function.
• Give the domain and range of f(x).

 2 x 2  3x  5
 2x  4 , x0
 2
1. y   x  4
, x4 
2. y  
  2

x  1 4 x  25
 x  4 , x  4  2x , x0
 3 x  1
  2x  4
 2 , x4
1. y   x  4
 x  4 , x  4
  2 x 2  3x  5
, x0

2. y  
  
x  1 4 x  25
2

 2x , x0
 3 x  1