 2+ ex x0

 3x + 1 , x  −1  ,

CHAPTER 7 : LIMITS & CONTINUITY 4. Given that f (x ) =  x 2 − 3 , − 1  x  2 g(x) =  x + 2 ,0  x  2
 3− x , 2  x  4− x ,2  x

1. Evaluate the following limits : 
Determine the limit exist at the given points for the functions above :
lim  x − 1   1− x2 
3
lim
(a)
x → 1  x 2 − 1 
(b)
x → −1   (a) f at x = –1, 2 (b) g at x = 0, 2
 1+ x3 

 x −1   x−4   x ,
(c) lim   (d) lim    2x + 1 , x  −1  1 + e x0
x→0  x −1  x→2  x−4  
    5. Given that f (x) =  x 2 − 2 ,−1  x  2 g(x) =  x + 2 ,0  x  2
 4− x , 2 x  6 − x ,2  x
 x−2   2x   
(e) lim   (f) lim  
x→2  3x − 4 − x  x→0  3x + 2 − 2 − x 
    x2 + 2 ,  x2 − 2 x ,
x0 x0
 
h(x) =  2 − x ,0  x  4 F(x) =  −2 x ,0  x  3
2. Evaluate the following limits:  x − 5 ,4  x  x+9 ,3  x
 
lim  x3 + 2  lim  2x3 
(a)   (b)  
x →   x 3 − 1  x →   3 x 2 − 1  Determine the continuity of the following functions at the given points :
(a) f at x = –1, 2 (b) g at x = 0, 2 (c) h at x = 0, 4 (d) F at x = 0, 3
lim  x3 − 8  2 + 1 
2
  lim

(c)
x →   x 3 − 4 x 
(d)
x→  x 
 1− x , x  −3  1− x , x3
 
lim  1 − 3 
2
lim  2 − 2 
3 6. Given that f(x) =  x + 7 ,−3  x  1 g(x) =  3 x − 5 ,3  x  5
(e)  x  (f)  x   4 x2 , 1  x  8
x→  x→    ,5  x

Determine the continuity of the following functions at the given points :

3. Evaluate the following limits : (a) f at x = –3, 1 (b) g at x = 3, 5
 3− x   x −1 
(a) lim   (b) lim  
x → 3−  3− x  x → 1+  x2 − x 
    1(a) 1.5 (b) 2 (c) –1 (d) –1 (e) 2 (f) 2
3
 3 x − x2 
(c)
lim

x → 3 +  3 − x 
 (d)
x→
lim
2
− ( x−2 +2) 2(a) 1 (b)  (c) 1 (d) 4 (e) 1 (f) 8
3(a) 1 (b) 1 (c) –3 (d) 2 (e) –3 (f) –1
(e)
lim
x → 3+
( 3− x − x ) (f)
lim
x → −1−
(x+ x +1 ) 4(a) exists at x = –1, 2 (b) not exists at x = 0, 2
5(a) cont. at x = –1, 2 (b) cont. at x = 0, 2
(c) cont. at x = 0 (d) cont. at x = 0
6(a) cont. at x = –3 (b) not cont.

7-1
CHAPTER 7 : LIMITS & CONTINUITY (STPM PYQ) f( x ) − f( x + h)
6. Given x > 0 and f (x) = x , find lim . [4](09)
h→ 0 h
 x−2 ,x2 y
 x−2
 7. The graph of a function f is shown, o 2
1. The function f is defined as f(x) =  4 ,x = 2 .
 Determine whether f is continuous or not 1
 3x − 2 , x  2
 at x = –1. Give a reason for your answer. –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 x [3](10)
(a) Without using graphs, determine whether f is a continuous function or not. o –1
(b) Sketch the graph of f. (95)
8. The function f is defined by  4 ,x  0
 ( x − 1)2 , x  1  4− x
 
2. Function f is defined by f(x) =  a . f(x) =  2 ,x = 0
 1 − x , x  1  x
(a) Show that lim f(x) exists.  ,x  0 [5]
If f is continuous at x = 1, determine the value of a and sketch the graph of f. [5](01) x→ 0  1 + x − 1

(b) Determine whether f is continuous at x = 0. [2](P2)

 1+ e x , x  1
 9. Evaluate
3. The function f is defined by f(x) =  3 , x = 1.
 2 + e − x, x  1
 lim 2 x 2 + 25 − 5 lim 9 x2 + 1
(a) (b) [3,3](U3)
x→0 x2 x→ 3x −1
(a) Find lim f(x) and lim f(x).
x → 1− x → 1+
 1− e x , x  0
Hence, determine whether f is continuous at x = 1. [4] 
10. The function f is defined by f(x) =  1 ,x =0 .
(b) Sketch the graph of f. [3](03)  x
 e − 1 , x  0
(a) Determine the existence of the limit of f(x) as x approaches 0. [4]
 x −1 , 0  x  2

4. The function f is defined by f(x) =  x + 2 , where a  . (b) State, with a reason, whether f is continuous at x = 0.
 ax 2 − 1, x2
Hence, give the interval(s) on which f is continuous. [3]
Find the value of a, if lim f(x) exists.
x→ 2 (c) Sketch the graph of f. [3](P3)

With this value of a, determine whether f is continuous at x = 2. [6](04)

1(a) not continuous 2. a = 1 3. (a) 1 + e , 1 + e ; not cont.

 4. 5 ; continuous 5(a) 0 ; 0 ; 2 ; 0 (b) cont. at x = –1 only

 x + 1 , − 1 x  1 16
5. The function f is defined by f(x) =  .
 x − 1 , otherwise
 6. – 1 7. not cont., since f(–1) is undefined.
2 x
(a) Find lim f(x), lim f(x), lim f (x) and lim f(x). [4] 8(b) not continuous 9(a) 0.2 (b) 1
x → − 1− x → − 1+ x → 1− x → 1+
10(a) limit exists (b) not cont. at x = 0 ; x < 0 or x > 0
(b) Determine whether f is continuous at x = –1 and x = 1. [4](07)

7-2
INTERMEDIATE VALUE THEOREM (IVT)
PAST YEAR QUESTIONS
1. Determine the integer value of n such that one of the roots of the following x 2 .
1. Sketch, on the same coordinate axes, the graphs y = e and y = [3]
equations lies in the interval [n , n + 1], 1+ x
x
Show that the equation (1 + x)e – 2 = 0 has a root in the interval [0, 1]. [3](03)
(a) x3 + 2x – 8 = 0 (b) x2 – ex = 4

(c) x2 – x − 1 = 16 (d) 4 +2– x =0 2. Using the sketch graphs of y = x3 and x + y = 1, show that the equation
x x3 + x – 1 = 0 has only one real root and state the successive integers a
and b such that the real root lies in the interval (a, b). [4](04)
2. Use the Intermediate Value Theorem to show that
3. Sketch, on the same coordinates axes, the graphs y = e − x and y = 4 . [3]
(a) the function f(x) = 2 xe x − 1 – 1 has a zero in the interval [0 , 1], 2− x
Show that the equation x + 4ex = 2 has a root in the interval [–1, 0]. [3](10)
(b) the equation x5 – x + 1 = 0 has at least one real solution,

(c) the equation x4 = 2x has at least one real solution,

4. Show that the equation x3 – 15x2 + 300 = 0 has a root between 5 and 6. [3](P2)
(d) there is a positive real solution of the equation x 2
+ 2 = 10x.
5. Sketch the graphs of y = 3ex and y = 8 – 2x on the same diagram. [3]
3. Let f be a continuous function on [0 , 1]. If –1 ≤ f(x) ≤ 1 for all x [0 , 1],
Show that the equation 3ex + 2x – 8 = 0 has a root between 0 and 1. [3](U3)
show that there is c [0 , 1] such that [f(c)]2 = c.

4. Let f and g are two continuous functions in [a , b] and such that f(a) > g(a)
and f(b) < g(b). Prove that exists a c [a , b] such that f(c) = g(c). PAST YEAR QUESTIONS
 x2 − 4
1(a) 1 (b) –3 (c) 4 (d) 6  ,x  2
1. Function f is defined by f(x) =  x − 2 .
 4 ,x = 2


Determine whether f is continuous at x = 2. [5](U4)

2. Evaluate

lim 6( x − 2) lim x− 8
(a) , (b) . [4](P5)
x → 2 x3 − 8 x→8 6− x−2

1
1. Not continuous 2(a) (b) – 2 6
2

7-3
  x 2 + 2 x + 5 , x  0
3. The function g is defined by g(x) =  .
 3e x + k ,x  0
(a) Find lim − g(x) and lim g(x), and determine the value of k such 3(a) 5 ; 3 + k ; k = 2
x→ 0 x → 0+ (b) For x = 0, g is continuous only when k = 2 ; For x < 0 and x > 0, g is continuous
that the function g is continuous at x = 0. [5] 1
4(a) 1 (b) 2 or –2 5(a) 2 (b) –
(b) Describe the continuity of the function g for x = 0, x < 0 and x > 0. [3](U5) 2
6(a) x lim lim
→ a f(x) does not exists ; x → a f(x) ≠ f(a) ; f(a) is undefined (b) { k | k ≠ 0, 2 }
4. The function f is defined by  x2 − 1
 ,x 1 7(a) xlim lim
(b) (– , 3) U (3 , )
x −1 → 1 f(x) = 2 (exists) ; x → 3 f(x) does not exists
where m and n are constants. 
f(x) =  m2 − 2 ,x =1
(a) If lim f(x) exists, find the value of n.  [6]
x→ 1 1− x
 +n ,x 1
 x −1
(b) If f is continuous at x = 1, determine the values of m. [2](P6)

lim e − 1
2h
5. Evaluate (a) [2]
h→ 0 e h − 1

lim x−5
(b) [3](U6)
x→ − 4 x2 + 3

6(a) A function f is discontinuous at a for three different situations.

State the situations. [3]
(b) The function g is defined by  6− x
 5− x ,x  4

g(x) =  2
where k ≠ 0. Determine the set of values  x + 2x − 8 ,x  4
 kx
of k such that g is discontinuous at x = 4. [4](P7)

 x +1 ,1  x  3
7. The function f is defined by f(x) =  2
 x − 2 x + 3 , otherwise

(a) Determine whether lim f ( x ) and lim f ( x ) exist. [4]

x→1 x→3

(b) Find the interval on which f is continuous. [4](U7)

7-4