CHAPTER 1

FUNCTIONS, LIMITS AND CONTINUITY

1.1 FUNCTIONS: a quick review

Definition.

A function f is a rule that associates a unique output with each input. If the input is
denoted by x, then the output is denoted by f(x) [ read “f of x”]

Consider , the output of f are obtained by substituting numerical

values for x.

For example,

If we use t or x+h as input, the output will be,

Example 1

If f(x) = 8x –1, find:

a. f(2)
b. the value of k if f(k) = 3
c. f(x2 )
d. f(1-x)

Solution

a. f(2) =
=
= 15

b. f(k) = 3
8k – 1 = 3
=
k=
Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

c. f(x2 ) =

d. f(1-x) =

=
= 7 – 8x

1.1.1 Graph of functions

Graph of some basic functions

y y

x=y y=x2

x x

y y

y=x3 y=1/x

x x

y y

x2
y3 x

x x
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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

1.1.2 Domain and range

If y=f(x), then the set of all possible inputs (x-values) is called the domain of f, and the set
of outputs (y-values) that result when x varies over the domain is called the range of f.
X Y

f Range

Domain Codomain

The domain and range of a function can be obtained by sketching the graph or using
algebraic approach.

If f and g are two fuctions with Df and Dg respectively, then

1.1.2.1 Domain and range of polynomial function

Example 2

Find the domain and range of the following functions

Solution

a. f(x)= 2x + 5 5

3
x
-5/2
Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

Graphical approach

Sketch the graph of y = 2x + 5

It is clear that

Algebraic approach

y = 2x+5. y is defined for all values of x, thus

x is defined for all values of y. Thus

c. By completing the square and sketch the graph

1.1.2.2 Domain and range of radical function

Example 3

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

Find the domain and range of the following functions

Solution

Graphical method
y

x
0 2

Algebraic approach

y is only defined if x-2 > 0, that is x > 2. Thus

x is defined for all values of y. Since

b. Graphical method or algebraic approach can be use

Ans:

c. Graphical method or algebraic approach can be use

Ans:

d. Graphical method or algebraic approach can be use

Ans:

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

1.1.2.3 Domain and range of exponent and log function

y
y=ax
y=x

y=logax

The domain of f(x) = ax is

The range of f(x) = ax is

The domain of f(x) = is

The range of f(x) = is

1.1.2.4 Domain and range of absolute value and rational function

Example 4

Find the domain and range of the following functions

Solution

a. It is easier to use graphical method

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

Graphical Method

Algebraic Method

1.1.3 Composite functions

Definition

Given functions f and g, the composition of f with g, denoted by , is the function

defined by
( )(x) = f(g(x))

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

The domain of is defined to consist of all x in the domain of g for which g(x) is in the
domain of f.

Example 5

Let and , Find

Solution

Example 6

Find

Solution

Piecewise functions

The absolute value function f(x) = |x| is an example of a function that is defined piecewise
in the sense that the formula of f changes depending on the value of x.

Example 7

Sketch the graph

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

Solution
y

y=|x|

x
Example 8

Sketch the graph

Solution

Example 9

A function f is defined by

Evaluate f(0), f(1), f(2) and sketch the graph

Solution

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

Exercise 1.1

1. If f(x) = 3- 5x, find

a) f(-2)
b) f(x3)
c) f(2x + 1)
d) the value of p so as f(p) = 1

2. Find the domain and ranges of the following functions

Answer:

1.2 LIMITS

If the values of f(x) can be made as close as we like to L by taking values of x sufficiently
close to a (but not equal to a), then we write which is read “the limit of f(x) as
x approaches a is L”

1.2.1 Finding limits from given graph

Example 10

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

Make a conjecture(guess) about the value of the limit

Solution

a)

b)

1.2.2 The relationship between one-sided limits and two sided limits

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

The two sided limits of a function f(x) exists at a if and only if both of the one-sided limits
exist at a and have the same value; that is,

if and only if

Example 11

exist because

1.2.3 Computing Limits

Basic properties of limits

Properties Examples

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

If , then the function f(x) and g(x)need to be simplified by factorization or

by multiplying with their conjugates.

Example 12

Determine

Solution

Simplify and factorize, we obtain

Example 13

Determine

Solution
Simplify by multiplying the numerator and denominator by the conjugate of

1.2.4 Infinite limits

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

1. If the function f increases without limit when x approaches a, then

y

x
0 a

2. If the function f decreases without limit when x approaches a, then

y

x
0 a

3. If and or and
then

4. If a>0,

5. If the function f approaches L when x increases without limit, then

6. If the function f approaches M when x decreases without limit, then

7. For n>0

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

8. If , then we need to simplify the function by dividing the numerator

and the denominator by the highest power of x of denominator

Example 14

9. The line x = a is a vertical asymptote of the graph if or

10. The line y = b is a horizontal asymptote of the graph if or

Example 15

hence, x = 1 is the vertical asymptote

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

and y = 0 is the horizontal asymptote.

x
0 1

Exercise 1.2

1. Given and , determine

(MAT 183, March 2004)

Ans: 16

2. a. Let find

(MAT 183,Oct 2004)

b. Find

Ans: a. 1 b.

3. Evaluate the following limits

(MAT 149, March 2002)

Ans:

4. Find the equations of the horizontal and vertical asymptotes of the curve

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

(MAT 149, March 2002)

Ans:

5. Given

a. Give the domain of g(x) in the interval form.

b. Find the following limits;

(MAT 149, March 2002)

Ans:
b. 0,4, does not exist,

1.3 CONTINUITY

Definition

A function f is said to be continuous at x = c if the following conditions are satisfied:

i. f(c) is defined
ii. exists.

iii.

Example 15

Determine whether the following functions are continuous at x = 2.

a)

Solution

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

a) The function f is undefined at x = 2 so f(x) is not continuous

b) i) The function g is defined at x = 2 , that is g(2) = 3

ii)

iii) g(2), therefore g(x) is not continuous at x = 2

c)

Exercise 1.3

1. Given

Find the value of k if g(x) is continuous at x=3, hence, determine whether the function is
continuous at x=4
(MAT 183, Marc 2004)
Ans: k = 2, g(x) is not continuous at x = 3

2. Let

i) Determine whether f(x) is continuous at x=0

ii) Find the value of c such that f(x) is continuous at x=2
(MAT 183, Oct 2004)
Ans: not continous, c = 8

3. Consider the function

Test the continuity at x = -2 and x = 6

(MAT 149, Sept 2001)

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

Ans: not continuous at x = -2 , continuous at x = 6

4. Find the value of m so that the function g is continuous

(MAT 121, Oct 2000)

Ans: -5

1.4 LIMITS and CONTINUITY for TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

Theorem

If c is any number in the natural domain of the stated trigonometric function, then

Theorem (The squeezing theorem).

Let f, g and h be functions satisfying for all x in some open

interval containing the number c, with the possible exception that the inequalities
need not hold at c. If g and h have the same limit as x approaches c, say
then f also has this limit as x approaches c, that is,

Note: In the method of squeezing, the function f has a limit L at a number c by trapping
the function between two other functions g and h

y
h(x)

L f(x)

g(x)
19 x
Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

The squeezing theorem is useful to proof the following theorem

Theorem

Example 16

Solution

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

Example 17

Find the limit

Solution

Since cosine function is continuous everywhere

Exercise 1.4

Find the limits of the following functions

Answer:

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Chapter 1 Function, Limits and Continuity

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