Chapter 4 - An Introduction into Calculus

4.1 - Limits, Continuity, and Convergence

Limits are vital to differential calculus, they are the foundation for
everything that we will study in this topic. We will build on the
definition of a limit as we go through the next few pages but first, let's
look at it from a graphical perspective.

Below is the graph of . What is the y-value approaching as

the x-value is approaching 2?

We write this as:

We say that: "The limit as x approaches 2 of is 5."

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An Informal Definition of a Limit:

If can be made as close as we like to some real number L by

making x sufficiently close to (but not equal to) a, then we say that
has a limit of L as x approaches a, and we write it as:
where L is a finite number

The value of L is the limit of the function and a is the x-value that
we approach. We say that converges to L as x approaches a.
Notation:

For a limit to exist the limit must be approaching the same finite
value from both sides. We can use superscripts to denote which side
of the number we are approaching from.

is used to say that we are approaching a from the left side.

is used to say that we are approaching a from the right side.

For the limit of a function to exist, the left and right limits must be
approaching the same value. That is,

We ONLY have to do this formal limit from both sides (called a 'two-
sided limit') for the functions that CHANGE at .

If it is a function that doesn’t change instantaneously at a value (you've

dealt with polynomials for instance, or rational functions when we don't
have a vertical asymptote, etc) then you DO NOT have to perform a
formal 2-sided limit.

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Ex: Evaluate

Algebraically:

Graphically:

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This form has a special name - it is called indeterminate form. There
are other expressions that turn out to be indeterminate as well, such as:
etc. We will talk more about these as we continue through
the course.

When we have the form this usually means we have a Point of

Discontinuity occuring - a hole in the graph. The limit still exists
however, because x is only approaching 2, it is never getting to 2,
therefore the limit approaches 4.

Ex: Evaluate

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 Ex: Evaluate: where

Ex: Evaluate: where

Ex: Evaluate: where

Exercise 4A Pg 223 #2 - 7
Sheet: "removing from indeterminate form day 1.pdf" from Additional
Worksheets folder on Moodle
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Worksheets folder on Moodle

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Continuity:

If is continuous at for all then we say that is

continuous on .

For a function to be continuous at , the following three

conditions must be satisified:

1. needs to be defined
2. The limit must exist, that is
3. The limit at must equal the function at , that is

If any of these three conditions fail, we say that is not continuous,

or that it is discontinuous, or has a discontinuity at .

Graphically, the places where a function is discontinuous are places

where the graph may be missing a point (point of discontinuity - from
rational functions), a "jump" in the value of a function (common in
piece-wise functions), or a "break" such as a vertical asymptote.

Some discontinuities are removable, some are not. For removable

discontinuity situations we define a new function based on but
which is continuous when .

Ex:

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Essential discontinuities are characterized by "jumps" or "breaks" in the
graph of the function, and these cannot be removed by simply redefining
the value of the function at this position.

How do we know what type we have?

If the graph is discontinuous at and exists, then this is a

removable discontinuity. Otherwise, it is an essential discontinuity at
.

Ex: Discuss the continuity of the following:

a) b) c)

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Ex: For the function re-write it as a function that is
continuous on it's domain.

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Ex: For the function add a piece so that it is continuous on

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* These properties also hold when finding limits approaching infinity

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Ex: Evaluate

Exercise 4B Pg 227 #1, 2, 4 - 7, 8(a,c,e,f)

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Limits to Infinity:

Limits to infinity are important for examining what happens to functions

(or relations) as our x-values approach large positive or negative
numbers - the end behaviours of the graph.

Evaluate:

We can see that this limit is hard to determine the way it is written. is
a type of indeterminate form that we must manipulate to determine the
value of the limit.

As , more importantly, as
(as does any other constant divided by x). We can use these
properties to help us evaluate limits to the infinities. The trick to
remove these limits from indeterminate form is to multiply by a
version of a "ONE" that has you dividing by the "highest power of x"
that you see.

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Ex: Evaluate

Ex: Evaluate

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Ex: Find the horizontal asymptote of the graph

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Recap on Asymptotes:

To show that a function has a vertical asymptote at a value of

you show:
and

To determine the end behaviours of a function (horizontal asymptote or

oblique asymptote) you perform an infinite limit, that is:
and

* To find the equation of the oblique asymptote you will have to

perform division on the function. The equation of the asymptote will be
the quotient of that division (as the remainder will approach 0 once you
take the limit to infinity).

** A function will only have an oblique asymptote if the degree of the

numerator is greater than the degree of the denominator.

Ex: Show that the vertical asymptote for the graph is

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What does an oblique asymptote look like?

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Limits of Sequences:

We know that a sequence is a list of numbers (usually with a pattern -

arithmetic, geometric, etc).

To converge in mathematics means that it approaches a finite value. The

converse of this would be to diverge (or not approach a value). We say
that a sequence converges if the infinite limit of the general term
approaches a finite value.
where

Ex: Determine whether each sequence is convergent or divergent. If the

sequence is convergent, give the limit of the sequence.

a) b)

c) d)

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Ex: Find Interpret it's meaning.

Ex: Determine whether converges.

Exercise 4C Pg 232 #1, 2(b,c,d,f,g,h), 3f

Exercise 4D Pg 235 #1(b,d), 2(c,d), 3(c,d,f), 4, 5

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