Lesson 3

Continuity of Functions
 Lesson 3: Continuity of Functions
Lesson 3.1: Continuity at a Point
CONTINUOUS GRAPH – no hole, no break, no jump.
DISCONTINUOUS GRAPH – with hole, break or jump.
Most of the techniques of calculus require that functions be
continuous. A function is continuous if you can draw it in one
motion without picking up your pencil.

1
This function has discontinuities
at =1 and =2.
1 2 3 4
Example 1. Identify whether the function 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥2 + 5𝑥 + 6 is
continuous at 𝑥 = −1.
Solution:
1. 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6 at 𝑥 = −1
𝑓(-1) = (−1) 2 + 5(−1) + 6 = 2
∴ 𝑓(c) exists
2. lim
𝑥→1
=(𝑥¿¿2+5
(−1) 2 𝑥+6¿)¿¿
+ 5(−1) + 6 = 2
∴ lim 𝑓 (𝑥)
exists
𝑥→𝑐
3. ∴ 𝑥lim 𝑓 ( 𝑥 )= 𝑓 ( 𝑐)
→𝑐
Since all of the conditions are satisfied, then 𝑓( 𝑥) is continuous at 𝑥
= −1.
 𝑥2− 9
Example 2. At 𝑥 = 3, is the function 𝑓 ( 𝑥 )= 𝑥 −3
continuous at that particular point?
Solution: 2
3 −9 0
1. 𝑓 ( 3 )= 3 −3
= indeterminate
0
∴ 𝑓(c) is indeterminate, DNE
𝑥2− 9 =6
2. lim =¿¿
𝑥 → 3 𝑥 −3
𝑓 (𝑥)
∴ lim exists
𝑥→𝑐
3. ∴ 𝑥lim 𝑓 ( 𝑥 ) ≠ 𝑓 (𝑐 )
→𝑐

Since two of the conditions are NOT satisfied, then

𝑓(𝑥) is not continuous at 𝑥 = 3.
 2
Example 3. Determine if the function 𝑓 ( 𝑥 )=
continuous at 𝑥
𝑥
= 0.
Solution:
2
1. 𝑓 ( 0 ) = 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑
0
∴ 𝑓(c) is undefined
2 lim ¿
2. lim 𝑥and
−
=− ∞ +¿
𝑥→0
2
=+∞ ¿
𝑥→0 𝑥
∴ lim DNE
𝑓 (𝑥)
𝑥→𝑐
3. ∴ lim 𝑓 ( 𝑥 ) ≠ 𝑓 (𝑐 )
𝑥→𝑐
Since all of the conditions are NOT satisfied, then
𝑓(𝑥) is not continuous at 𝑥 = 3.
 Lesson 3.2: Continuity on an Interval
A function is said to be continuous at a closed
interval [a, b] if its right endpoint, open interval and
left endpoint has no breakage, holes or discontinuity.
One-sided Continuity
a) Continuous from the left at = c if
𝑓 ( 𝑐 ) = lim 𝑓 ( 𝑥 )
−
𝑥→𝑐
b) Continuous from the right at = c if
𝑓 ( 𝑐 ) = lim ¿
+¿
𝑥 → 𝑐 𝑓 ( 𝑥) ¿
 Continuity of Polynomial, Absolute Value, Rational and
Square Root Functions
a) Polynomial functions are continuous everywhere.
b) Absolute value function = is continuous
everywhere .
c) Rational functions are continuous on their
respective domains.
d) Square root function = is continuous on [0, ∞) .
 Conditions needed to know whether the function is
continuous or not on a closed interval:
1. The function 𝑓(𝑥) needs to be continuous at the open
interval (a,b).
2. The function 𝑓(𝑥) needs to be continuous at the left
endpoint [a].
a. If 𝑓(a) exists. b. If exists. c. If . 𝑓 ( 𝑎 ) =𝑥 →lim+¿
𝑎 𝑓 ( 𝑥) ¿
¿

3. The function 𝑓(𝑥) needs to be continuous at the right

endpoint [b].
a. If 𝑓(𝑏) exists. b. If 𝑓 (𝑥 )
lim exists. c. If 𝑓 ( 𝑏 )= lim 𝑓 ( 𝑥 )
− −
𝑥→𝑏 𝑥 →𝑏
Example 1. Is the function 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥2 + 5𝑥 + 6 is
continuous on the closed interval [−4, 1] ?
Solution:
1. Table of values x f(x)
-3.9 1.71
-3 0
-2 0
-1 2
.99 11.9931
∴ 𝑓(𝑥) is continuous at (a, b).
2. a) 𝑓(a) = 𝑓(-4)= (-4)2 + 5(-4) + 6 = 2
b) lim ¿
=(-4) 2
+ 5(-4) + 6 = 2
+¿
𝑥 →− 4 (𝑥¿¿2+5 𝑥+6)¿¿
c) 𝑓 ( 𝑎 ) = lim
+¿
¿
𝑥 → 𝑎 𝑓 ( 𝑥) ¿
∴ 𝑓(𝑥) is continuous at the left endpoint [a].
3.a) 𝑓() = 𝑓(1) = (1)2 + 5(1) + 6 = 12
b) lim (𝑥¿¿ 2+5
−
𝑥+6
= (1) 2 )¿
+ 5(1) + 6 = 12
𝑥→1
c) 𝑓 ( 𝑏 )= lim 𝑓 ( 𝑥 )
−
𝑥 →𝑏
∴ 𝑓(𝑥) is continuous at the right endpoint [].
Since all of the conditions are satisfied, then 𝑓(𝑥) is
continuous on the closed interval [−4, 1]
Example 2. Check if the function 𝑓 ( 𝑥 )= √is𝑥 continuous
+2
on the closed interval [−5, -3]?
Solution:
1. Table of values
x f(x)
-4.99 Imaginary no.
-3.9 Imaginary no.
-3.5 Imaginary no.
-3.1 Imaginary no.
-3.111 Imaginary no.

∴ 𝑓(𝑥) is not continuous at (a, b).

2.a) 𝑓 ( 𝑎 ) = 𝑓 ( −5 ) =√ −5+2=√ −3 𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟
b)
c) DNE
3.a) 𝑓 ( 𝑏 )= 𝑓 ( − 3 )= √− 3+2=𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟
b) lim √ 𝑥+3 𝐷𝑁𝐸
−
𝑥 → −3
c) 𝑓 ( 𝑏 ) ≠ lim 𝑓 ( 𝑥 )
−
𝑥→ 𝑏
∴ 𝑓(𝑥) is not continuous at the right endpoint [].
All conditions are not satisfied, then 𝑓(𝑥) is not
continuous on the closed interval [−5, -3].
 Examples
1. Using the graph, determine if the function is
continuous on the following intervals :
a) [-2,0]
discontinuous
b) [-2, 0)
continuous
c) (-∞, 4]
discontinuous
 Lesson 4 : More on Continuity

Lesson 4.1: Different Types of Discontinuities

a. Removable/Hole/Point Discontinuity
A function is said to have a removable discontinuity at x = c, if
𝑓 (𝑥)
a. lim exists
𝑥→𝑐
b. lim 𝑓 ( 𝑥 ) ≠ 𝑓 (𝑐 )
𝑥→𝑐
Either because 𝑓(c) is undefined or the
value of 𝑓(c) differs from the value
of the limit.
b. Jump/Essential Discontinuity
A function is said to have a jump discontinuity at 𝑥 = c if .
It can usually be found on
piecewise functions.
 
c. Infinite/Asypmtotic Discontinuity
This type of discontinuity exists if a function
has one or more infinite limits. Many rational
functions with vertical asymptote exhibit this
type of behavior.
 Intermediate Value Theorem (IVT)
If f is a continuous function on a closed interval [a, b]
and L is any number between f (a) and f (b), then there is
at least one number c in [a, b] such that f(c) = m.

f (b)
f (c) = m
f (a)

a c b
Example

Ryan was 20 inches long when born and

30 inches long when 9 months old.
Since growth is continuous, there was a time
between birth and 9 months when he was 25
inches long.
 Examples
1. Consider the function f(x) = 2x - 5. Show that at
x = c lies on [1, 5] if f(c) = 3 .
f(1) = 2(1) - 5 = -3 < 3
f(5) = 2(5) – 5 = 5 > 3
f (x) is continuous (polynomial) and f(1) <
f(c)<f(5) or -3 < 3 < 5 then by IVT, c ϵ [1,5]
Check:
2x – 5 = 3 ⤏ 2x = 3+5 ⤏ x = 4 ϵ [1,5]
2. Given . Show that has a solution on [1, 2].

f(1) = 3(1)2 – 2(1) – 5 = -4 < 0

f(2) = 3(2)2 – 2(2) – 5 = 3 > 0
(x) is continuous (polynomial) and since (1) < 0
< (2 ), by the IVT, c ϵ [1, 2] .
Extreme Values of a function are created when the function
changes from increasing to decreasing or from decreasing to
increasing
Extreme value


increasing decreasing
decreasing increasing


Extreme value

Extreme value

Extreme value Extreme value

inc
dec
inc dec inc dec dec

Extreme value
Extreme value
 Extreme Value Theorem (EVT)
(Max-Min Existence Theorem)
If a function is continuous on a closed interval, [a, b], then the
function will contain both an
𝑓 (𝑎)
absolute maximum value and an
absolute minimum value. 𝑓 (𝑏)
𝑓 (𝑐)
a c b

Absolute maximum value: f(a)

Absolute minimum value:
f(c)
Examples
1. The function (x) = 2x – 5 on [1,5] exhibits the
extrema at the endpoints.
(1) = 2(1) - 5 = -3 minimum value
(5) = 2(5) – 5 = 5 maximum value
2. (x) = x2 on [-4,2] exhibits an extremum at one
endpoint and another at an interior point.
(-4) = (-4)2 = 16 maximum value
(2) = (2)2 = 4
(0) = (0)2 = 0 minimum value