UNIT 2: DETERMINING WHETHER A FUNCTION IS CONTINUOUS

OR DISCONTINUOUS AT A NUMBER AND ON AN INTERVAL

Learning Outcomes
This module on determining the limit of function will enable you to:
1. determine whether a function is continuous or discontinuous at a number and on an interval
2. differentiate a function applying the limit definition of a derivative

Resource
You will be needing the following for this module:
1. graphing tools like Graphmatica or Graphing Calculator
Expectations
You are expected to
1. follow the guidelines in accomplishing the module
2. accomplish the module completely

CONTINUITY OF A FUNCTION AT A NUMBER

A function 𝒇(𝒙) is said to be continuous at the number 𝒂 if and only if all of the
following three conditions are satisfied:

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a. 𝒇(𝒂) exists;
icon/buch_1341264

b. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) exists;

𝒙→𝒂

c. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒂)

𝒙→𝒂

If one or more of these three conditions fails to hold 𝒂, the function 𝒇(𝒙) is said to be
discontinuous at 𝒂.

Example Example 1. Determine whether 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟑𝒙𝟐 + 𝟒𝒙 − 𝟓 is continuous at 𝒙 = 𝟐.

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 Solution:

a. Find 𝒇(𝟐)
𝒇(𝟐) = 𝟑(𝟐𝟐 ) + 𝟒(𝟐) − 𝟓
= 𝟑(𝟒) + 𝟖 − 𝟓
= 𝟏𝟐 + 𝟖 − 𝟓
𝒇(𝟐) = 𝟏𝟓

b. Evaluate 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙)

𝒙→𝟐
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟑(𝟐𝟐 ) + 𝟒(𝟐) − 𝟓
𝒙→𝟐
= 𝟑(𝟒) + 𝟖 − 𝟓
= 𝟏𝟐 + 𝟖 − 𝟓
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟏𝟓
𝒙→𝟐

c. Is 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝟐)?

𝒙→𝟐
Yes. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝟐)
𝒙→𝟐

The three conditions are satisfied. The function is continuous at 𝒙 = 𝟐.

𝒙𝟐 −𝟏𝟔
Example 2. Determine whether 𝒈(𝒙) = is continuous at 𝒙 = 𝟒.
𝒙−𝟒
Solution:

a. Find 𝒈(𝟒)
𝟒𝟐 −𝟏𝟔
𝒈(𝟒) = 𝟒−𝟒

𝟏𝟔 − 𝟏𝟔
=
𝟒−𝟒

𝟎
=
𝟎

𝒇(𝟐) = 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆

DETERMINING WHETHER A FUNCTION IS CONTINUOUS OR NOT Page 2 of 9

 b. Evaluate 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙)
𝒙→𝟒
𝒙𝟐 −𝟏𝟔
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝒙→𝟒 𝒙→𝟒 𝒙−𝟒

(𝒙−𝟒)(𝒙+𝟒)
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝒙→𝟒 𝒙−𝟒

= 𝐥𝐢𝐦(𝒙 + 𝟒)
𝒙→𝟒

= 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒙 + 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝟒
𝒙→𝟒 𝒙→𝟒

=𝟒+𝟒

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙) =𝟖
𝒙→𝟒

a. Is 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝒈(𝟒)?

𝒙→𝟒
No. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙) ≠ 𝒈(𝟒)
𝒙→𝟒

𝒈(𝒙) is discontinuous at 𝒙 = 𝟒.

CONTINUITY OF A FUNCTION ON AN INTERVAL

A function 𝒇(𝒙) is said to continuous on the open interval (𝒂, 𝒃) if and only if
it is continuous at every number in the open interval (𝒂, 𝒃).

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A function 𝒇(𝒙) is said to be continuous from the right at the number 𝒂 if and only if
the following three conditions are satisfied:
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a. 𝒇(𝒂) exists;

b. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) exists;

𝒙→𝒂+

c. 𝐥𝐢𝐦+ 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒂)

𝒙→𝒂

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 A function 𝒇(𝒙) is said to be continuous from the left at the number 𝒂 if and only if the
following three conditions are satisfied:

a. 𝒇(𝒂) exists;

b. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) exists;

𝒙→𝒂−

c. 𝐥𝐢𝐦− 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒂)

𝒙→𝒂

A function whose domain includes the closed interval [𝑎, 𝑏] is said to be continuous on [𝒂 , 𝒃]
if and only if it is continuous on the open interval (𝑎, 𝑏), as well as continuous from the right at 𝒂 and
continuous from the left at 𝒃.

Example Example 1. Determine whether 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒙𝟐 − 𝒙 − 𝟐 is continuous on (−∞, +∞).

Solution:

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A polynomial function is continuous at every real number.
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Hence, 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒙𝟐 − 𝒙 − 𝟐 is continuous on (−∞, +∞).
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Example 2. Determine whether 𝒈(𝒙) = √𝟒 − 𝒙𝟐 is continuous on [−𝟐, 𝟐].

Solution:

a. Is it continuous from the right at 𝒙 = −𝟐?

i. 𝒈(−𝟐)
𝒈(−𝟐) = √𝟒 − (−𝟐)𝟐
= √𝟒 − 𝟒
= √𝟎
𝒈(−𝟐) =𝟎

ii. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙)

𝒙→−𝟐+
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦+ √𝟒 − 𝒙𝟐
𝒙→−𝟐+ 𝒙→−𝟐
= √𝟒 − (−𝟐)𝟐
= √𝟒 − 𝟒
= √𝟎
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙) =𝟎
𝒙→−𝟐+

iii. 𝐥𝐢𝐦+ 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝒈(−𝟐)

𝒙→−𝟐

It is continuous from the right at 𝒙 = −𝟐.

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 b. Is it continuous from the left at 𝒙 = 𝟐?

i. 𝒈(𝟐)
𝒈(𝟐) = √𝟒 − (𝟐)𝟐
= √𝟒 − 𝟒
= √𝟎
𝒈(𝟐) =𝟎

ii. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙)

𝒙→𝟐−
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦− √𝟒 − 𝒙𝟐
𝒙→𝟐− 𝒙→𝟐
= √𝟒 − (𝟐)𝟐
= √𝟒 − 𝟒
= √𝟎
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙) =𝟎
𝒙→𝟐−

iii. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝒈(𝟐)

𝒙→𝟐−

It is continuous from the right at 𝒙 = 𝟐.

Hence, the function is continuous on the interval [−𝟐, 𝟐].

CONTINUITY OF POLYNOMIAL, RATIONAL, AND SQUARE ROOT FUNCTION

1. A polynomial function is continuous at every real number, that is, it is continuous

everywhere.
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2. A rational function is continuous at every number in its domain.
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3. A square root function is continuous at every number in its domain.

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 THE DERIVATIVE OF A FUNCTION
The derivative of the function 𝒇 is that function, denoted by 𝒇’, such that its value
𝒇(𝒙+∆𝒙)−𝒇(𝒙)
at a number 𝑥 in the domain of f is given by 𝒇′ (𝒙) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 if this limit
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙
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exists.
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Consider the function 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟑𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏𝟐. Its derivative 𝒇′(𝒙) can be determined by applying
the definition as follows:

𝒇(𝒙+∆𝒙)−𝒇(𝒙)
𝒇′(𝒙) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙

[𝟑(𝒙+∆𝒙)𝟐 +𝟏𝟐]−(𝟑𝒙𝟐 +𝟏𝟐)

= 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙

[𝟑(𝒙𝟐 +𝟐𝒙∆𝒙+(∆𝒙)𝟐 )+𝟏𝟐]−(𝟑𝒙𝟐 +𝟏𝟐)

= 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙

𝟑𝒙𝟐 +𝟔𝒙∆𝒙+𝟑(∆𝒙)𝟐 +𝟏𝟐−𝟑𝒙𝟐 −𝟏𝟐

= 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙

𝟔𝒙∆𝒙+𝟑(∆𝒙)𝟐
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙

= 𝐥𝐢𝐦 (𝟔𝒙 + 𝟑∆𝒙)

∆𝒙→𝟎

𝒇′(𝒙) = 𝟔𝒙

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 LEARNING SUMMARY AND REFLECTION

In this module, I learned that

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From this module, I realize that as an OLSHCOnian, I have a responsibility to

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In this module, I need to understand more the concept/s on

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Tutorial Videos:

Calculus – Continuous functions (2013). Downloaded June 11, 2020 from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InDHwh1CvOg

Calculus – Finding the derivative of a function using limits (2013). Downloaded June 11, 2020 from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qjg0hMLrfOk

References:

Continuity (n.d.) Downloaded June 9, 2020 from

http://web.ntpu.edu.tw/~ccw/calculus/Chapter_01/Page61-71.pdf

Crowell, R. H. & Slesnick, W. E. (2008). Crowell and Slesnick’s calculus with analytic geometry.
Downloaded June 9, 2020 from https://math.dartmouth.edu/~doyle/docs/calc/calc.pdf

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Dawkins, P. (2007). Calculus I. Downloaded June 9, 2020 from
https://notendur.hi.is/adl2/CalcI_Complete.pdf

Graphmatica.com (2017). Graphmatica by Ksoft. [online] Available

at: <http://www.graphmatica.com/> [Accessed December 15, 2017].

Leithold, L. (1990). The calculus with analytic geometry (6th ed.). New York: Harper & Row Publishers,
Inc.

Mercado, J. P., & Orines, F. B. (2016). Next cetury mathematics: Basic

calculus. Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.

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