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Limits and Continuity

This document is a lecture on limits and continuity in calculus. It begins by defining key concepts like limits, one-sided limits, and continuity. It then provides examples of evaluating limits numerically and algebraically. The document discusses limits at infinity, infinite limits, and vertical and horizontal asymptotes. Finally, it covers the definition of continuity, conditions for continuity, and types of discontinuities. The goal is for students to understand limits, evaluating limits, and the concept of continuity in functions.

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34 views90 pages

Limits and Continuity

This document is a lecture on limits and continuity in calculus. It begins by defining key concepts like limits, one-sided limits, and continuity. It then provides examples of evaluating limits numerically and algebraically. The document discusses limits at infinity, infinite limits, and vertical and horizontal asymptotes. Finally, it covers the definition of continuity, conditions for continuity, and types of discontinuities. The goal is for students to understand limits, evaluating limits, and the concept of continuity in functions.

Uploaded by

Jazz Esquejo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LECTURE 2

Limits &
Continuity

EMT1A/MECT1A/ICT1A
LECTURE 2

PART 1

EMT1A/MECT1A/ICT1A
The Concept
of Limit
OBJECTIVES

At the end of the discussion, the learner should be able


to:

 Define limit and one-sided limit


 Demonstrate graphically the theory of limits
 Evaluate limits and interpret the results
 Illustrate continuity of a function
 Determine if a function is continuous or not
CONCEPT OF THE LIMIT

The notation of a limit is a fundamental concept of calculus.

Where do we APPLY THE CONCEPT OF LIMIT?

• In the two basic problems of calculus: the tangent line


problem and the area problem.
DEFINITION OF THE LIMIT

What do we mean when we say that

lim f ( x)  L?
xa

We might say that as x gets “closer and closer” to a, f(x)


should get “closer and closer” to L.
Estimating a Limit Numerically

Use a table to estimate numerically the limit:

Solution:
Let f (x) = 3x – 2.

Then construct a table that shows values of f (x) for two sets of x-values
— one set that approaches 2 from the left and one that approaches 2
from the right.
Estimating a Limit Numerically

Use a table to estimate numerically the limit:

Solution (continuation):

From the table, it appears that the closer x


gets to 2, the closer f (x) gets to 4.

So, you can estimate the limit to be 4. The


figure illustrates this conclusion.
DEFINITION OF THE LIMIT

When evaluating a limit, you are essentially answering the


following question: What number does the function
approach while x gets closer and closer to a (but not
equal to a)?

The phrase but not equal to a in the definition of a limit


means that when finding the limit
of f(x) as x approaches a we never actually consider x=a.
DEFINITION OF THE LIMIT

In fact, as we just saw in


the example above, a may
not even belong to the
domain of f. 

All that matters for limits


is what happens to f close
to a, not necessarily what
happens to f at a.
RIGHT & LEFT HAND LIMITS

• By means that approaches A as x approaches a through values less than a,


that is, as x approaches a from the left.

• Similarly, means that approaches A as x approaches a through values


greater than a, that is, as x approaches a from the right.

• The existence of the limit from the left does not imply existence of the limit
from the right, and conversely. When a function is defined on only one side
of a point a, then is identical with the one-sided limit, if it exist.
RIGHT & LEFT HAND LIMITS

Show that the limit does not exist.

Solution:
Consider the graph of f (x) =
From Figure 12.4, you can see that for positive x-
values

and for negative x-values


RIGHT & LEFT HAND LIMITS

Show that the limit does not exist.

Solution (continuation):

• This means that no matter how close x gets


to 0, there will be both positive and negative
x-values that yield f (x) = 1 and f (x) = –1.

• This implies that the limit does not exist.


RIGHT & LEFT HAND LIMITS
PIECEWISE FUNCTIONS

A piecewise function is a function that is defined on a


sequence of intervals. A common example is the absolute
value,
PIECEWISE FUNCTIONS
ONE-SIDED LIMITS
EXAMPLES: Evaluate the limit in each of the following:

2.

3. Given:
a.) b.) c.)
EXAMPLE 1: Evaluate the limit in each of the following:
EXAMPLE 1: Evaluate the limit in each of the following:

=1
EXAMPLE 2: Evaluate the limit in each of the following:
EXAMPLE 2: Evaluate the limit in each of the following:
EXAMPLE 3: Evaluate the limit in each of the following:
3.

;
EXAMPLE 4: Evaluate the limit in each of the following:
4. Given:
a.) b.) c.)
a.)
b.)
c.)
SEATWORK A.

Evaluate the limits of each of the following:

3. Given:
a.) b.) c.)
COMPUTING LIMITS: GRAPHICALLY

In this section we look at an example to illustrate the concept of


a limit graphically.

The graph of a function f(x)  is shown below. We analyze the


behavior of f(x) around x=−5, x=−2, x=−1 and x=0, and x=4.
COMPUTING LIMITS: GRAPHICALLY
COMPUTING LIMITS: GRAPHICALLY
SEATWORK B.

Evaluate the expressions by reference to this graph:


SEATWORK B.

Evaluate the expressions by reference to this graph:


LECTURE 2

PART 2

EMT1A/MECT1A/ICT1A
COMPUTING LIMITS: ALGEBRAICALLY
EXAMPLES 5-8: Evaluate the limit in each of the following:
EXAMPLES 5-8: Evaluate the limit in each of the following:
EXAMPLE 9: Compute:
ZERO DENOMINATOR
EXAMPLE 10: Compute:

Factor and
Cancel
EXAMPLE 11: Compute:
EXAMPLE 12: Compute:
EXAMPLE 13: Compute:
SEATWORK C.

Compute the limits. If a limit does not exist, explain why


SEATWORK C.

Compute the limits. If a limit does not exist, explain why


LIMITS AT INFINITY

What happens to the function  as x goes to infinity?

It seems clear that as x gets larger and larger,  gets closer and
closer to zero, so  should be getting closer and closer to 1.
LIMITS AT INFINITY

Similarly, approaches as approaches , and is written as ,


if, as approaches its limit (without assuming the value ),
eventually becomes and thereafter remains less than any
preassigned negative number.

Example:
(a) (b) (c)
LIMITS AT INFINITY

As with ordinary limits, this concept of “limit at infinity” can


be made precise.

Roughly, we want  to mean that we can make  as close as we


want to   by making   large enough.
LIMITS AT INFINITY
EXAMPLE 14:
EXAMPLE 14:
EXAMPLE 14:
EXAMPLE 15:
EXAMPLE 15:

In this example,
we divided by the highest
power of x that occurs in
the denominator in order
to evaluate the limit.
LIMITS AT INFINITY

THEOREM:
EXAMPLE 16:
LIMITS AT INFINITY

SHORTCUT:
EXAMPLE 16:
INFINITE LIMITS
EXAMPLE 17:
EXAMPLE 17:
EXAMPLE 18:
EXAMPLE 18:
SEATWORK D.

Compute the limits of the following:


SEATWORK D.

Compute the limits of the following:


SEATWORK D.

Compute the limits of the following:


SEATWORK D.

Compute the limits of the following:


INFINITE LIMITS

NOTE:
VERTICAL ASYMPTOTES
VERTICAL ASYMPTOTES
HORIZONTAL ASYMPTOTES
The Concept
of Continuity
CONTINUITY

 Many functions have the property that they can trace


their graphs with a pencil without lifting the pencil from
the paper’s surface.

 These types of functions are called continuous.


Intuitively, a function is continuous at a particular point
if there is no break in its graph at that point.
CONTINUITY

 A function f with variable x is continuous at the point “a”


on the real line, if the limit of f(x), when x approaches
the point “a”, is equal to the value of f(x) at “a”, i.e., f(a).

 Second, the function (as a whole) is continuous, if it is


continuous at every point in its domain.
CONTINUITY
CONTINUITY: GRAPHICALLY
CONTINUITY: CONDITIONS

 A function is said to be continuous at a particular point if


the following three conditions are satisfied.
CONTINUITY: EXAMPLE
CONTINUITY: EXAMPLE
CONTINUITY: OPEN INTERVAL
CONTINUITY: DISCONTINUITIES
CONTINUITY: DISCONTINUITIES
CONTINUITY: DISCONTINUITIES
CONTINUITY: RIGHT & LEFT
CONTINUITY: RIGHT & LEFT
CONTINUITY: CLOSED INTERVAL
CONTINUITY: CLOSED INTERVAL
COMMON TYPES OF CONTINUOUS FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 19:
Function is discontinuous at if one or more conditions for
continuity fails.

(a) (b) (c)


EXAMPLE 20:

Determine the point of discontinuity of the following:

The value of is at then


the point of discontinuity is
at .
EXAMPLE 21:

Determine the point of discontinuity of the following:

The value of is when or


which are the points of
discontinuity. .
SEATWORK E.

I. Evaluate the limit in II. Determine the point of


each of the following: discontinuity of the following:
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