Math 7 – Calculus I

Sample Problems for Exam # 1 - Solutions

Directions: Answer all of the questions on this exam and clearly show all necessary work in order to receive credit
or partial credit. This exam is closed book and closed notes. Scientific (but not graphing) calculators are allowed
for this exam. Cell phones are not allowed during the exam, even to be used as a calculator.

1. Consider the following graph below of function f :

a) Find lim𝑥→𝑏− 𝑓(𝑥) 1

b) Find lim𝑥→𝑐 + 𝑓(𝑥) 0
c) Find lim𝑥→𝑎 𝑓(𝑥) Does Not Exist, since infinite discontinuity.
d) Find lim𝑥→0 3𝑓(𝑥)
= 𝟑𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = (𝟑)(−𝟐. 𝟒) = −𝟕. 𝟐
𝒙→𝟎

e) Find lim𝑥→0 (5 − 𝑓(𝑥))3

= (𝐥𝐢𝐦[𝟓 − 𝒇(𝒙)])𝟑 = (𝟓 − 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝒇(𝒙))𝟑 = (𝟓 − (−𝟐. 𝟒))𝟑 = 𝟒𝟎𝟓. 𝟐𝟐𝟒

𝒙→𝟎 𝒙→𝟎

f) For what values of x is f discontinuous?

f is discontinuous at x = a, b, 0, and c
2. If lim f ( x)  5 and lim g ( x)  9, determine the following limit, if it exists.
x 3 x 3

g ( x)  f ( x)
lim
x 3 4 g ( x)
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙) − 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) 𝟗−𝟓
𝒙→𝟐 𝒙→𝟑
= = = 𝟏/𝟗
𝟒 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙) 𝟒(𝟗)
𝒙→𝟑

3. Evaluate the following limits below. Show your work.

√4𝑥 + 1 − 3
lim
𝑥→2 𝑥−2
(√𝟒𝒙 + 𝟏 − 𝟑)(√𝟒𝒙 + 𝟏 + 𝟑) (𝟒𝒙 + 𝟏) − 𝟗
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝒙→𝟐 (𝒙 − 𝟐)(√𝟒𝒙 + 𝟏 + 𝟑) 𝒙→𝟐 (𝒙 − 𝟐)(√𝟒𝒙 + 𝟏 + 𝟑)
𝟒𝒙 − 𝟖 𝟒(𝒙 − 𝟐)
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝒙→𝟐 (𝒙 − 𝟐)(√𝟒𝒙 + 𝟏 + 𝟑) 𝒙→𝟐 (𝒙 − 𝟐)(√𝟒𝒙 + 𝟏 + 𝟑)
𝟒 𝟒
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = = 𝟐/𝟑
𝒙→𝟐 (√𝟒𝒙 + 𝟏 + 𝟑) (√𝟒(𝟐) + 𝟏 + 𝟑)

2𝑥 2 +1 𝐥𝐢𝐦 (𝟐𝒙𝟐 +𝟏) 𝟐(𝟐)𝟐 +𝟏 𝟗 𝟑

lim 𝑥→2 √ = √ 𝐥𝐢𝐦 (𝟑𝒙+𝟐) = √ 𝟑(𝟐)+𝟐 = √𝟒 = 𝟐
𝒙→𝟐
3𝑥−2
𝒙→𝟐

1 1
−
lim 2 + 𝑥 2
𝑥→0 3𝑥

𝟐 (𝟐 + 𝒙) −𝒙
− −𝒙
𝟐(𝟐 + 𝒙) 𝟐(𝟐 + 𝒙) 𝟐(𝟐 + 𝒙)
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦 [ ] = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 [ ] = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝒙→𝟎 𝟑𝒙 𝒙→𝟎 𝟑𝒙 𝒙→𝟎 𝟔𝒙(𝟐 + 𝒙)

−𝟏 −𝟏
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = = −𝟏/𝟏𝟐
𝒙→𝟎 𝟔(𝟐 + 𝒙) 𝟔(𝟐 + 𝟎)
 𝑥3 + 8
lim
𝑥→−2 𝑥 + 2

(𝒙 + 𝟐)(𝒙𝟐 − 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟒)
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 (𝒙𝟐 − 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟒) = (−𝟐)𝟐 − 𝟐(−𝟐) + 𝟒 = 𝟏𝟐
𝒙→−𝟐 𝒙+𝟐 𝒙→−𝟐

sin(𝜃 2 )
lim
𝜃→0 𝜃
𝜽 ∙ 𝐬𝐢𝐧(𝜽𝟐 ) 𝐬𝐢𝐧(𝜽𝟐 ) 𝐬𝐢𝐧(𝜽𝟐 )
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦 [ ] = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 [𝜽 ∙ ] = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 (𝜽) ∙ 𝐥𝐢𝐦 [ ]=𝟎∙𝟏=𝟎
𝜽→𝟎 𝜽∙𝜽 𝜽→𝟎 𝜽𝟐 𝜽→𝟎 𝜽𝟐 →𝟎 𝜽𝟐

𝑥3
lim
𝑥→0 tan3 2𝑥

𝒙𝟑 𝒙𝟑 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝟑 𝟐𝒙 𝟏
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦 [ ] = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 [ ] = 𝐥𝐢𝐦(𝐜𝐨𝐬𝟑 𝟐𝒙) ∙ 𝐥𝐢𝐦 [ ]
𝟑
𝒙→𝟎 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝟐𝒙 𝒙→𝟎 𝟑
𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝒙 𝒙→𝟎 𝒙→𝟎 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝟑 𝟐𝒙
𝟖
(𝟐𝒙)𝟑

𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦(𝐜𝐨𝐬𝟑 𝟐𝒙) ∙ [ 𝟑
𝟑] = 𝟏 ∙ [ ] =
𝒙→𝟎 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝒙 𝟖(𝟏)𝟑 𝟖
𝟖 ( 𝐥𝐢𝐦 )
𝟐𝒙→𝟎 𝟐𝒙
4. Determine the following one-sided limits below in order to find the two-sided limit
for the given function:
|4𝑥 2 − 9|
𝑓(𝑥) =
2𝑥 + 3

|4𝑥 2 − 9|
lim+
𝑥→−32 2𝑥 + 3

|𝟒𝒙𝟐 − 𝟗| |(𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑)(𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑)| |𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑||𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑|

𝐥𝐢𝐦𝟑− = 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝟑− = 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝟑−
𝒙→−𝟐 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑 𝒙→−𝟐 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑 𝒙→−𝟐 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑
(𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑)|𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑|
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝟑− = 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝟑−|𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑| = 𝟔
𝒙→−𝟐 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑 𝒙→−𝟐

|4𝑥 2 − 9|
lim3−
𝑥→−2 2𝑥 + 3

|𝟒𝒙𝟐 − 𝟗| |(𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑)(𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑)| |𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑||𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑|

𝐥𝐢𝐦𝟑− = 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝟑− = 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝟑−
𝒙→−𝟐 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑 𝒙→−𝟐 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑 𝒙→−𝟐 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑
−(𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑)|𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑|
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝟑− = 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝟑− − |𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑| = −𝟔
𝒙→−𝟐 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑 𝒙→−𝟐

Now, find the following limit:

|4𝑥 2 − 9|
lim3
𝑥→−2 2𝑥 + 3

|𝟒𝒙𝟐 − 𝟗|
𝐒𝐨, 𝐥𝐢𝐦3 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 − 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥.
𝒙→−2 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑
5. True/False: Circle the letter T for “true” or the letter F for “false”.
T F If functions f and g are continuous at point c , then the function
𝑎𝑓 − 𝑏𝑔 is continuous at the point c.
True, by a theorem of continuous functions.

T F For a function f , if we know that lim𝑥→𝑎 𝑓(𝑥) exists and that 𝑓(𝑎) is
defined, then f is continuous at a.
False, since must also have that 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝒙→𝒂 𝒇(𝒙) ≠ 𝒇(𝒂) in order to say that f is
continuous at a.

T F If lim𝑥→𝑎 𝑓(𝑥) exists, then lim𝑥→𝑎 𝑥 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 lim𝑥→𝑎 𝑓(𝑥).

False, since 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝒙→𝒂 𝒙 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝒙→𝒂 𝒙 ∙ 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒂 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝒇(𝒙). Can only pull
𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂
out a constant, not a variable.

6. If we know that:
lim [𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑔(𝑥)] = 2 and lim [𝑓(𝑥) − 𝑔(𝑥)] = 1 ,
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎

find lim [3𝑓(𝑥)𝑔(𝑥)].

𝑥→𝑎

𝐥𝐢𝐦[𝒇(𝒙) + 𝒈(𝒙)] = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) + 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝟐

𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂
𝐥𝐢𝐦[𝒇(𝒙) − 𝒈(𝒙)] = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) − 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝟏
𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂

So, solving the following system of equations:

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) + 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝟐
𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) − 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝟏
𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂

Adding these two equations, we get that:

𝟏
𝟐 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝒙→𝒂 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟑, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝒙→𝒂 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟑/𝟐. 𝐒𝐨, 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝟐 . ,by plugging
𝒙→𝒂
into one of the two equations.

𝟑 𝟏
𝐒𝐨, 𝐥𝐢𝐦[𝟑𝒇(𝒙)𝒈(𝒙)] = 𝟑 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝒇(𝒙) ∙ 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝒈(𝒙) = (𝟑) ( ) ( ) = 𝟗/𝟒
𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂 𝒙→𝒂 𝟐 𝟐
7. Use the Squeeze Theorem to prove the following limit:
1
lim 𝑥 4 sin( 𝑥 ) = 0
𝑥→0

𝟏
Note that −𝟏 ≤ 𝐬𝐢𝐧 (𝒙) ≤ 𝟏 , 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝒙.
𝟏
Thus, −𝒙𝟒 ≤ 𝒙𝟒 𝐬𝐢𝐧 (𝒙) ≤ 𝒙𝟒 . 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝒙→𝟎 (−𝒙𝟒 ) = 𝟎 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝒙→𝟎 𝒙𝟒

𝟏
By the Squeeze Theorem, since we can bound 𝒙𝟒 𝐬𝐢𝐧 (𝒙) between −𝒙𝟒 and
𝒙𝟒 , and since 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝒙→𝟎 (−𝒙𝟒 ) = 𝟎 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝒙→𝟎 𝒙𝟒 , then we can conclude that:
𝟏
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒙𝟒 𝐬𝐢𝐧( 𝒙 ) = 𝟎
𝒙→𝟎

8. Sketch a single function 𝑓 which has all of the following characteristics:

lim − 𝑓(𝑥) = 1, lim + 𝑓(𝑥) = −1, 𝑓(0) = 3/2
𝑥→ −3 𝑥→−3

lim 𝑓(𝑥) = −∞, lim 𝑓(𝑥) = ∞,

𝑥→2− 𝑥→2+

Removable discontinuity at 𝑥 = 0,
 9. If a function f is continuous and we know that 𝑓(9) = 4 and 𝑓(2) = 1,
find lim 𝑓(5 − √𝑥)
𝑥→9

By f continuous, we have that:

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝟓 − √𝒙) = 𝒇 (𝐥𝐢𝐦(𝟓 − √𝒙)) = 𝒇 (𝟓 − 𝐥𝐢𝐦 √𝒙) = 𝒇(𝟓 − 𝟑) = 𝒇(𝟐) = 𝟏
𝒙→𝟗 𝒙→𝟗 𝒙→𝟗

10. Answer the following questions below.

a) For what values of x is the following function f continuous?
1
𝑓(𝑥) = √𝑥 2 − 9 + 𝑥 −
𝑥−4
Continuous for 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟗 ≥ 𝟎, or 𝒙𝟐 ≥ 𝟗, or |𝒙|≥3, and for 𝒙 ≠ 𝟒.

So, continuous on (−∞, −𝟑] ∪ (𝟑, 𝟒) ∪ (𝟒, ∞).

b) Define function f as follows:

𝑥2 − 4
, 𝑥<2
𝑓(𝑥) = { 2 𝑥 − 2
𝑎𝑥 − 𝑏𝑥 + 3 , 2≤𝑥<3
2𝑥 − 𝑎 + 𝑏 , 𝑥>3

Find the constants a and b such that the function 𝑓 is continuous everywhere.
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦+𝒇(𝒙) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐦− 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦+ 𝒇(𝒙) 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝒇 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞
𝒙→𝟐− 𝒙→𝟐 𝒙→𝟑 𝒙→𝟑

𝒙𝟐 − 𝟒 (𝒙 − 𝟐)(𝒙 + 𝟐)
𝐥𝐢𝐦− 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦− = 𝐥𝐢𝐦− = 𝐥𝐢𝐦− (𝒙 + 𝟐) = 𝟐 + 𝟐 = 𝟒,
𝒙→𝟐 𝒙→𝟐 𝒙 − 𝟐 𝒙→𝟐 𝒙−𝟐 𝒙→𝟐

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦+ (𝒂𝒙𝟐 − 𝒃𝒙 + 𝟑) = 𝒂(𝟐)𝟐 − 𝒃(𝟐) + 𝟑 = 𝟒𝒂 − 𝟐𝒃 + 𝟑

𝒙→𝟐+ 𝒙→𝟐

Thus, we must have 𝟒𝒂 − 𝟐𝒃 + 𝟑 = 𝟒, 𝐨𝐫 𝟒𝒂 − 𝟐𝒃 = 𝟏

 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦− (𝒂𝒙𝟐 − 𝒃𝒙 + 𝟑) = 𝒂(𝟑)𝟐 − 𝒃(𝟑) + 𝟑 = 𝟗𝒂 − 𝟑𝒃 + 𝟑,
𝒙→𝟑− 𝒙→𝟑

𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝐥𝐢𝐦+(𝟐𝒙 − 𝒂 + 𝒃) = 𝟐(𝟑) − 𝒂 + 𝒃 = 𝟔 − 𝒂 + 𝒃

𝒙→𝟑+ 𝒙→𝟑

Thus, we must have 𝟗𝒂 − 𝟑𝒃 + 𝟑 = 𝟔 − 𝒂 + 𝒃, 𝐨𝐫 𝟏𝟎𝒂 − 𝟒𝒃 = 𝟑

So, solve for 𝒂 and b by solving the system of equations:

𝟒𝒂 − 𝟐𝒃 = 𝟏  −𝟖𝒂 + 𝟒𝒃 = −𝟐
(+) 𝟏𝟎𝒂 − 𝟒𝒃 = 𝟑 (+) 𝟏𝟎𝒂 − 𝟒𝒃 = 𝟑

So, we get: 𝟐𝒂 = 𝟏. Thus, 𝒂 = 𝟏/𝟐. Then, solving for b in either equation,

we also get that 𝒃 = 𝟏/𝟐.

11. Prove the following statement below using the 𝜀, 𝛿 definition of a limit
3
lim √𝑥 = 0
𝑥→0

Let 𝜺 > 𝟎 be some real number. Must find some 𝜹 such that:
𝟑
| √𝒙 − 𝟎 | < 𝜺 when 𝟎 < |𝒙 − 𝟎| < 𝜹.

Simplifying this inequality to try to get a guess for 𝜹:

𝟑 𝟑 𝟑
| √𝒙 − 𝟎| = | √𝒙 | < 𝜺 | , so |𝒙| = | √𝒙|𝟑 < 𝜺𝟑
So, choose 𝜹 = 𝜺𝟑 .

Now, verifying this choice:

Assuming that 𝟎 < |𝒙 − 𝟎| < 𝜹 = 𝜺𝟑 , we get that:
𝟑 𝟑 𝟑 𝟑
| √𝒙 − 𝟎| = | √𝒙 | = √|𝒙| < √𝜺𝟑 = 𝜺.

𝟑
This shows that || √𝒙 − 𝟎| < 𝜺 when 𝟎 < |𝒙 − 𝟎| < 𝜹 = 𝜺𝟑 ,
𝟑
Thus proving that 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝒙→𝟎 √𝒙 = 𝟎.
12. Find the value of number 𝑘 such that the following limit below exists:
3𝑥 2 + 𝑘𝑥 + 𝑘 + 3
lim
𝑥→−2 𝑥2 + 𝑥 − 2

Since the denominator approaches 0 as 𝒙 → −𝟐, the numerator also needs to

approach 0 as 𝒙 → −𝟐 for the limit to exist. So, we need that:
𝐥𝐢𝐦 (𝟑𝒙𝟐 + 𝒌𝒙 + 𝒌 + 𝟑) = 𝟎.
𝒙→−𝟐

So, 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝒙→−𝟐 (𝟑𝒙𝟐 + 𝒌𝒙 + 𝒌 + 𝟑) = 𝟑(−𝟐)𝟐 + 𝒌(−𝟐) + 𝒌 + 𝟑 = 𝟎.

Thus, solving the resulting basic linear equation, we get 𝒌 = 𝟏𝟓.

13. An open box with a rectangular base is made from a sheet of cardboard, with
dimensions of 6 inches by 10 inches, by cutting out a square from each corner and
then turning up the sides.
a) Express the volume V of the box as a function of x, the length of the side of the
square cut from each corner.

𝑽(𝒙) = 𝒙(𝟔 − 𝟐𝒙)(𝟏𝟎 − 𝟐𝒙) = 𝟒𝒙(𝟑 − 𝒙)(𝟓 − 𝒙)

b) Find the domain of V.

Interval notation: (𝟎, 𝟑)