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Lecture 2:Continuity 函数的连续性
Part 1 Continuity
1．Continuity of a Function 函数的连续性：
A function f is continuous at a number a if lim f ( x) = f (a) ．
x →a
Notice that Definition implicitly requires three things if f is continuous at a:
（1） f (a) is defined (that is, a is in the domain of f )
（2） lim f ( x) exists
x →a
（3） lim f ( x) = f (a)
x →a
A function f is continuous from the right at a number a if lim+ f ( x ) = f (a ) （右连续）
，
x →a
A function f is continuous from the left at a number a if lim− f ( x ) = f (a ) （左连续）
x →a
A function f is continuous on an interval if it is continuous at every number in the interval.

2．Discontinuity points of a function 函数的间断点：

If some point x = x0 at least one of the conditions of continuity is not fulfilled for the function
y = f ( x) , that is:
(1) If y = f ( x) is not defined at x = x0 ;
(2) Or lim f ( x ) does not exist;
x → x0

(3) Or lim f ( x)  f ( x0 ) even though lim f ( x ) exists;

x→ x0 x → x0

Then we say x0 is a discontinuity point of the function y = f ( x) .

3．Properties of Continuous Functions：

If f and g are continuous at a and c is a constant, then the following functions are also continuous
f
at a: (1). f + g ;(2). f − g ;(3). cf ;(4). fg ;(5) if g (a)  0
g
(a)Any polynomial is continuous everywhere; that is, it is continuous on = (−, +) .
(b)Any rational function is continuous wherever it is defined; that is, it is continuous on its
domain.
基本初等函数在其定义域内都是连续函数，即幂函数、指数函数、对数函数、三角函
数、反三角函数、多项式函数、有理函数在定义域上都是连续函数．

3．Continuity of a Composite Function：

If f is continuous at b and lim g ( x) = b ,then lim f ( g ( x )) = f ( b ) ,In other words,
x →a x →a

( )
lim f ( g ( x )) = f lim g ( x ) .
x →a x →a

If g is continuous at a and f is continuous at g (a ) ,then the com-posite function f g given

by ( f g )( x) = f ( g ( x )) is continuous at a .

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【例 1】
1．Figure shows the graph of a function f . At which numbers is f discontinuous? Why?

2．Where are each of the following functions discontinuous?

 x2 − x − 2
x2 − x − 2  if x  2
(a) f ( x ) = (b) f ( x ) =  x − 2
x−2 1
 if x = 2

1
 if x  0
(c) f ( x ) =  x 2 (d) f ( x ) = x
 1 if x = 0

3．Show that the function f ( x ) = 1 − 1 − x 2 is continuous on the interval  −1,1 .

x3 + 2 x2 − 1
4．Find lim .
x →−2 5 − 3x

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【例 2】
lnx + tan −1 x
1．Where is the function f ( x ) = continuous?
x2 − 1

sinx
2．Evaluate lim .
x→ 2 + cosx

1− x 
3．Evaluate lim arcsin  
x→1
 1− x 

4．Where are the following functions continuous?

( )
(a) h ( x ) = sin x 2 (b) F ( x ) = ln (1 + cosx )

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【例 3】
1．Use continuity to evaluate the limit.

(a). lim x 20 − x 2 (b). lim sin ( tan ( cos ) )

x →2 n→ /2

 5 − x2  x 2 −2 x −4
(c). lim ln   (d). lim 3
x →1
 1+ x  x →4

2．Suppose f and g are continuous functions such that g ( 2 ) = 6 and

lim 3 f ( x ) + f ( x ) g ( x ) = 36 . Find f ( 2 ) .

x→2

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Part 2 Theorems of Continuous Functions 闭区间上连续函数的性质
Theorems of Continuous Functions：
1．Extreme value theorem 最值定理
Suppose that f ( x) is continuous on the closed interval  a, b  , then f ( x) has an absolute
maximum and an absolute minimum on the interval. In particular, f ( x) must be bounded on the
interval.

2．Intermediate value theorem 介值定理

Suppose that f ( x) is continuous on the closed interval  a, b  and let N be any number
between f (a) and f (b) , where f (a)  f (b) . Then there at least exists a number c in ( a, b )
such that f (c) = N .

3．Zero point theorem 零点定理

Let f ( x) be a continuous function on the interval  a, b  and f (a) f (b)  0 , then there is a
number c   a, b , such that f (c) = 0 .

以上三个定理在微积分中主要用于一些结论和定理的证明．

【例 4】

1．Show that there is a solution of the equation 4 x 3 − 6 x 2 + 3x − 2 = 0 between 1 and 2.

2．If f ( x ) = x 2 + 10sinx ,show that there is a number c such that f ( c ) = 1000 .

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3．Use the Intermediate Value Theorem to show that there is a solution of the given equation in
the specified interval.

(a). − x3 + 4 x + 1 = 0, ( −1,0 )

(b). lnx = x − x , ( 2,3)

(c). e x = 3 − 2 x , ( 0,1)

【例 5】
1．Prove, without graphing, that the graph of the function has at least two x -intercepts in the
specified interval.

(a). y = sinx3 , (1,2 ) (b). y = x2 − 3 + 1 / x , ( 0,2 )

2． If a and b are positive numbers,prove that the equation

a b
+ 3 =0
x + 2x −1 x + x − 2
3 2

has at least one solution in the interval ( −1,1) .

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 Exercises
1．(a) From the given graph of f ,state the numbers at which f is discontinuous and explain
why.
(b) For each of the numbers stated in part (a), determine whether f is continuous from the
right,or from the left, or neither.

2．The graph of a function f is given.

(a) At what numbers a does lim x→a f ( x) not exist?

(b) At what numbers a is f not continuous?

(c) At what numbers a does lim x→a f ( x) exist but f is not continuous at a ?

3．(a) Show that f has a removable discontinuity at x = 3 .

(b) Redefine f ( 3) so that f is continuous at x = 3 (and thus the discontinuity is "removed").

x −3 x 2 − 7 x + 12
(1). f ( x ) = (2). f ( x ) =
x2 − 9 x−3

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4．Locate the discontinuities of the function and illustrate by graphing.
1 1
(a). f ( x ) = (b). y = arctan
1 − sinx x

5．Find the numbers at which f is discontinuous. At which of these numbers is f continuous

from the right,from the left, or neither? Sketch the graph of f .

 x2 if x  −1

(a). f ( x ) =  x if − 1  x  1
1 / x if x  1


2 x if x  1

(b). f ( x ) = 3 − x if 1  x  4

 x if x  4

 x + 2 if x  0

(c). f ( x ) = e x if 0  x  1
2 − x if x  1


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6．For what value of the constant c is the function f continuous on ( −,  ) ?

cx 2 + 2 x if x  2
f ( x) =  3
 x − cx if x  2

7．Find the values of a and b that make f continuous everywhere.

 x2 − 4
 if x  2
 x − 2
f ( x ) = ax 2 − bx + 3 if 2  x  3


2 x − a + b if x  3

8．(a) Prove that the equation has at least one real solution.
(b) Use a calculator to find an interval of length 0.01 that contains a solution.

(1). cosx = x 3 (2). lnx = 3 − 2 x

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9．For what values of x is f continuous?

0 if x is rational
f ( x) = 
1 if x is irrational

10．For what values of x is g continuous?

0 ?if x is rational
g ( x) = 
 x if x is irrational

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