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Basic Calculus

This document outlines the key concepts in basic calculus related to limits and continuity. It includes 4 lessons that cover: 1) defining limits of functions and evaluating limits using theorems and examples of polynomial, rational and radical functions, 2) limits of transcendental functions and indeterminate forms, 3) defining continuity at a point and on an interval, and 4) different types of discontinuities and theorems related to continuity such as the intermediate value theorem. The introduction provides an analogy for understanding limits by considering approaching a constant value as closely as possible without reaching it, similar to sitting close to a basketball court.

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Rhea Mae Patatag
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47 views3 pages

Basic Calculus

This document outlines the key concepts in basic calculus related to limits and continuity. It includes 4 lessons that cover: 1) defining limits of functions and evaluating limits using theorems and examples of polynomial, rational and radical functions, 2) limits of transcendental functions and indeterminate forms, 3) defining continuity at a point and on an interval, and 4) different types of discontinuities and theorems related to continuity such as the intermediate value theorem. The introduction provides an analogy for understanding limits by considering approaching a constant value as closely as possible without reaching it, similar to sitting close to a basketball court.

Uploaded by

Rhea Mae Patatag
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Basic Calculus

Contents
1 Limits and Continuity 1
Lesson 1: The Limit of a Function: Theorems and Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2
Topic 1.1: The Limit of a Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Topic 1.2: The Limit of a Function at c versus the Value of the Function at c . .
17
Topic 1.3: Illustration of Limit Theorems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Topic 1.4: Limits of Polynomial, Rational, and Radical Functions . . . . . . . . . 28
Lesson 2: Limits of Some Transcendental Functions and Some Indeterminate
Forms . . 38
Topic 2.1: Limits of Exponential, Logarithmic, and Trigonometric Functions . . .
39
Topic 2.2: Some Special Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Lesson 3: Continuity of Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Topic 3.1: Continuity at a Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Topic 3.2: Continuity on an Interval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Lesson 4: More on Continuity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Topic 4.1: Different Types of Discontinuities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Topic 4.2: The Intermediate Value and the Extreme Value Theorems . . . . . . .
75
Topic 4.3: Problems Involving Continuity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

INTRODUCTION
Limits are the backbone of calculus, and calculus is called the Mathematics of
Change.
The study of limits is necessary in studying change in great detail. The
evaluation of a
particular limit is what underlies the formulation of the derivative and the
integral of a
function.
For starters, imagine that you are going to watch a basketball game. When you
choose
seats, you would want to be as close to the action as possible. You would want
to be as
close to the players as possible and have the best view of the game, as if you
were in the
basketball court yourself. Take note that you cannot actually be in the court
and join the
players, but you will be close enough to describe clearly what is happening in
the game.
This is how it is with limits of functions. We will consider functions of a single
variable and
study the behavior of the function as its variable approaches a particular value
(a constant).
The variable can only take values very, very close to the constant, but it cannot
equal the
constant itself. However, the limit will be able to describe clearly what is
happening to the

LESSON PROPER
Consider a function f of a single variable x. Consider a constant c which the
variable x
will approach (c may or may not be in the domain of f). The limit, to be denoted
by L, is
the unique real value that f(x) will approach as x approaches c. In symbols, we
write this
process as
lim
x!c
f(x) = L.
This is read, ‘‘The limit of f(x) as x approaches c is L.”
LOOKING AT A TABLE OF VALUES
To illustrate, let us consider
lim
x!2
(1 + 3x).
Here, f(x) = 1+3x and the constant c, which x will approach, is 2. To evaluate
the given
limit, we will make use of a table to help us keep track of the effect that the
approach of x
toward 2 will have on f(x). Of course, on the number line, x may approach 2 in
two ways:
through values on its left and through values on its right. We first consider
approaching 2
from its left or through values less than 2. Remember that the values to be
chosen should
be close to 2.

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