WUC112

University Mathematics
Unit 2: Limits and Continuity
Tutor: Dr. Ling L. P.
 Ground Rules
 Learn!
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 Take notes!
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 Help each other learn - if you get it
and your neighbor does not, help them.
 Help us to help you - let us know if we
are going too fast or too slow.
 Be on time.
 100% course work completion.

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Contact Information

1) Contact number:
04-530 8611

2) Email address:
llp1@tutor.wou.edu.my / wilson.lpling@gmail.com
This will be the best way to contact me!
3) Time available for telephone tutoring:
Tuesday: 5.00 pm – 7.00 pm
Thursday: 5.00 pm – 7.00 pm
Please contact me at least once every 3 weeks.

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Unit 2 Objectives
• Understand the idea of the limit of a function.
• Determine the existence of a limit of a point by looking at
the right-hand limit and the left-hand limit of the point.
• Apply the limit theorems on the sum, product and
quotient of functions.
• Understand the concept of continuity at a point of a
particular function.
• Apply the theorems on continuity.
• Understand the idea of continuity from the left and
continuity from the right.
• Apply the pinching theorem on some simple
trigonometric limits.
• Understand and apply the intermediate value theorem
and the extreme value theorem.

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Unit 2 Outline

 Unit 2.1: The idea of limits

 Unit 2.2: The definition of limits
 Unit 2.3: Some limit theorems
 Unit 2.4: Continuity

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
Unit 2.1: The idea of limits
 Concept of a Limit

Michael

???

1
3
2
4 7
8 …

If Michael walks half way of the remaining distance each time,

can he ever walk out of the room?
If the concept of limit doesn’t exist, Michael can never walk out
of the room!

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
Unit 2.2: The definition of limits
 Function and Limit

Function y = f ( x )
Examples of functions defined on all real numbers R.
f(x) = x²; g(x) = 2x - 1; h(x) = x³

Definition: The limit of a function

describes the behavior of the function
as the input approaches a particular value.

lim f(x) = L
x c
Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Think of the bus jumping the gap
in “Speed”
If the two pieces of the freeway are the same height...

…so, the jump works in either direction!

Therefore, the limit exists.

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Think of the bus jumping the gap
in “Speed”
The left piece is higher…

…so, the jump works!

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Think of the bus jumping the gap
in “Speed”
The right piece is lower…

…so, the jump fails!

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 LIMIT does not exist (abbreviated D.N.E.)

Because the bus cannot jump both directions, then the limit
of the freeway does not exist (abbreviated D.N.E.)

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 One-sided limits
You may find the limit from each side of the c-value.
12
11

x=c 10
Limit 9

from 8
Limit
7

the 6 from
left
5
4
the
(x<c) 3 right
2
1
(x>c)
0
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

-2
-3
-4

The hole at x = c divides the graph into two pieces!

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 One-sided limits

You need one-sided limits when you

encounter a piecewise function (a function
where each part of the domain has its own
function to evaluate) as seen below…

Limit Limit
from from
the the
left right
(x<c) (x>c)

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Example:
Different right-hand and left-hand limits at the origin.

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
Unit 2.3: Some limit theorems
 Limit theorems

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
Unit 2.4: Continuity
 Definition of Continuity

Definition: A function f is said to be continuous

at a point a if and only if the limit of f as x
approaches a is the value f (a) of f at a. That is:

lim f ( x) = f (a )
x →a

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Definition of Left Continuity

Definition: A function f is said to be left

continuous at a point a if and only if the limit
of f as x approaches a from the left is the value
f (a) of f at a.

lim f ( x) = f (a )
x →a −

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Definition of Right Continuity

Definition: A function f is said to be right

continuous at a point a if and only if the limit
of f as x approaches a from the right is the
value f (a) of f at a.

lim f ( x) = f (a )
x →a +

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Continuity theorems

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
Examples
 Example 1
( x + 2)
lim 2
x →−2 x − 4

Solution

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 x 2  3x  2
Problem 2 lim
x 2 x 2

x 2  3 x  2  x  1  x  2 
Solution Rewrite   x  1.
x 2 x 2
x 2  3x  2
Hence lim  lim  x  1  1.
x 2 x 2 x 2

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Problem 3
x − 3x − 18
2
lim
x→−3 x+3
Solution ( x + 3)( x − 6)
lim
x→−3 x+3
lim ( x − 6)
x→−3

−3 − 6
−9

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Example 4

lim x– 2 = ?
x 4
x–4
Direct substitution won’t do it. Why?

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Solution

x– 2 x+ 2 x– 4
• =
x–4 x + 2 (x – 4)( x + 2)

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Thus,

lim 1 =?
x 4
x+2

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 sin  3 x 
Problem 5 lim
x 0 6x

sin   
Solution Use the fact that lim  1.
 0 
sin  3 x  1 sin  3 x 
Rewrite 
6x 2 3x

sin  3 x  sin  3 x  1
Since lim  1, we conclude that lim  .
x 0 3x x 0 6x 2

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Practice:
By direct
1)
lim x –4 =?
2 substitution

x 1
x+2
5) lim x –4 =?
2 By factoring
and
x –
2 substituting

x+2
Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Example 6 Determine if the limit exists as the function approaches 3?

x+1 if x ≤ 3
f (x) =
8 – 2x if x > 3
Solution

For the “left” or negative approach, try to evaluate the first piece

lim (x + 1) =
x3– “approaching 3 negatively”
This is
NOT – 3

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 For the “right” or positive approach, try to evaluate the second piece

2
lim (8 – 2x) =
This is x3+
STILL 3

What is the limit as this piecewise function approaches 3?

4 from the left and 2 from the right
Thus,

lim f(x) does not exist (D.N.E.)

x 3

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 Limit of function when approaches infinity
Example 7 Find the limit as the function approaches 2.

1
f (x) = 2− x Tips
Solution
Plot it!!
In the graph, as x  2– , the curve  + ∞
In the graph, as x  2+ , the curve  – ∞

The two one-sided limits do not agree;

Thus, limit D.N.E.

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
More Examples

Limits-Problems&Sol
ution
 Supporting data/information

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
 sin x
f ( x) =
x
The function is
undefined at 0.
Table of Values

sin x x sin(x)/x

lim =1 ±0.5
±0.1
0.95885
0.99833
x→0 x ±0.001 0.99999

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007
Graph for example 7

x f(x)
-10 0.083333
-9 0.090909
-8 0.1
-7 0.111111
-6 0.125
-5 0.142857
-4 0.166667
-3 0.2
-2 0.25
-1 0.333333
0 0.5
1 1
2 -
3 -1
4 -0.5
5 -0.333333
6 -0.25
7 -0.2
8 -0.166667
9 -0.142857
10 -0.125

Dr. Ling L. P. ­ 2007