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Continuity

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6 views29 pages

Continuity

Uploaded by

euthanasiax44
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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CONTINUITY

MATH 209
Objectives:
1.Illustrate continuity of a function at a
point.
2.Determine whether a function is continuous at a point or
not.

3.Illustrate continuity of a function on an interval; and


4.Determine whether a function is continuous on an interval
or not.
 As we have observed in our discussion of limit in topic
(1.2). There are functions whose limits are not equal to the
function value at x = c, meaning lim ƒ(x) ≠ ƒ(c).

 x→c

> lim ƒ(x) is NOT NECESSARILY the same as ƒ(c).


> This lead us to the study of continuity of function.
LIMIT AND CONTINUITY AT A POINT

What does “continuity at a point”mean? Intuitivity , this means


that in drawing tha graph of a function, the point in question
will be traversed. We start by graphically illustrating what it
means to be continuous at a point.
Example 1. Consider the graph below

Is the function
Is the function continuous at x = 1?

Solution. To check if the function is continuous at x = 1 , use the


given graph. Note that one is able to trace the graph from the
left side of the number x = 1 going to the right side of x=1,
without lifting one’s pen. This is the case here.Hence, we can
say that the function is continuous at x = 1.
Three Condition of Continuity
A function ƒ(x) is said to be continuous at
x = c if the following three conditions are satisfied:
(i) ƒ(c) exists
(ii) lim ƒ(x) exists and;
x→c
(iii) ƒ(x) = lim ƒ(x)
x→c
If the least one of these conditions is not met, ƒ
is said to be discontinuous at x = c.
Example 1: Determine if ƒ(x) = x³+x²-2 is continuous or not
at x = 1.

Solution: We have to check the three conditions for


continuity of a function.
(a) If x = 1, then ƒ(1) = 0
(b) limƒ(x) – lim( x³+x²-2) - 1³+1²-2-0
x→1 x→1
(c) ƒ(1) = 0 = lim ƒ(x)
→1
Therefore, ƒ is continuous at x = 1.
Example 2.Determine if ƒ(x) = x²-x-2 is
x–2
continuous or not at x = 0.
Solution:We have to check the three conditions for continuity of
a function.
(a)If x = 0, then ƒ(0) = 1
(b)lim(x)=lim x²-x-2 = lim(-2)(x+1)=lim(x+1)
x→0 x→0 x-2 x→0 x-2 x→0
=1
(c) ƒ(x) = 1 = lim ƒ(x)
x→0

Therefore, ƒ is continuous at x = 0.

CONTINUITY ON AN INTERVAL
A function can be continuous on an interval. This simply means
that it is continuous at every point on the interval. Equivalently,
if we
are able to draw the entire graph of the function on an interval
without lifting our tracing pen, or without being interrupted by a
hole in the middle of the graph, then we can conclude that the
function is continuous on that interval.

Two concepts which are important in determining whether a


function is continuous at the endpoints of the closed interval.
One sided Continuity

(a)A function ƒ is said to be continuous from the left at x = c if


ƒ(c) = lim ƒ(x)
x→c
(b) A function ƒ is said to be continuous from the right at x = c
if
ƒ (c) = lim ƒ(x)
x→c
We first look at the graph of function to
illustrate continuity on an interval.
Example: Consider the graph of the function ƒ
given below.
Using the given graph, determine if the function ƒ is
continuous on the following intervals:

(a)(-1,1) (b) (-∞,0) (c) (0,+∞)

Solution: Remember that when we say “ trace from the right


side of x=c” we are tracing not from x=c on the x- axis, but
from the point (c,ƒ(c)) along the graph.
(a) We can trace the graph from the right side of x= -1 to the left
side of x=1 without lifting the pen we are using. Hence, we can
say that the function ƒ is continuous on the interval (-
1,1).
(b) If we trace the graph from any negatively large
number up to the left side of 0, we will not lift our
pen and so, ƒ is contiuous on ( -∞,0).
(c) For the interval (0,+∞), we trace the graph from the right
side of 0 to any large number, and find that we will not lift our
pen. Thus, the function ƒ is continuous on (0,+∞).
THANK YOU
EXERCISES:

1. Determine using the given graph if the function


ƒ is continuous on the following intervals.

a. (-1, 1) b. (0.5, 2)
Again, let lim ƒ(x) = 4 and lim g(x) = -5 then,
x→c x→c

lim ƒ(x).g(x) = lim ƒ(x).lim g(x) = 4.(-5) = -20


x→c x→c x→c

6. The Division Theorem: This says that the limit of a


quotient of functions is equal to the quotient of the
limits of the individual functions, provided the
denominator limit is equal to 0.
lim ƒ(x) = lim ƒ (x)
x→c g(x) x→c lim g(x)
x→ c
=L
M Provided M ≠ 0

Example: if lim ƒ(x) = 4 and lim g(x) = -5


x→c x→c

lim ƒ(x) = (x) = 4 = - 4


x→c lim g(x) -5 5
x→c
if lim ƒ(x) = 0 and lim g(x) = -5
x→c x→c

lim ƒ(x) = 0 = 0
x→c g(x) -5

If lim ƒ(x) = 4 and lim g(x) =0, it is not possible


x→c
to evaluate lim ƒ(x), or we may say that the limit DNE
x→c
7. The Power Theorem: This theorem states that the limit of an
integer power p of a function is just that power of the limit of the
function.

lim (ƒ(x) = L

Example: if lim ƒ(x) = 4, then


x→c
lim(ƒ(x))³ = (limƒ(x)³ = 4³ = 64
x→c x→c
If lim ƒ(x) = 4, then
x→c

lim(ƒ(x))-² = (lim ƒ(x))−² = 4−² = 1 = 1


x→c x→c 4² 16

8. The Radical/Root Theorem:This theorem states that if n is a


positive integer, the limit of the nth root of a function is just the
nth of a function, provided the nth of the limit is a
real number. Thus, it is important to keep in mind that
if n is even , the limit of the function must be positive.

lim =
x→c x→c

If lim ƒ(x) =4, then


x→c lim ===2
x→c
If lim ƒ(x)= -4, then it is not possible to
x→c evaluate lim because then,

=
x→c
And this is not a real number.

9. Limit of a polynomial function


9.Limit of a Polynomial Function
lim ƒ(x) = L, and lim g(x) = M
x→c x→c

Lim P(x) = P(a) lim P(x) = P(a) if g(a) ≠ 0


x→c x→c g(x) g(a)

Example: lim (9x³-7x²+2) = ƒ(2)


x→c
9(2)³ - 7(2) + 2 = 9(8) – 7(4) + 2
= 72 – 28 + 2
= 46

lim x² + 3 = (-3)² + 3 = 9 + 3 = 12 = 3
x→c x³-2x+1 (-3)³-2(-3)+1 -27+6+1 -20 5
THANK YOU
ACTIVITY:
 Use limit theorems to evaluate the following limits.

1.Determine lim (ƒ(x) + g(x) if limƒ(x)=2 and limg(x)= -1


x>1 x>1 x>1

2.Evaluate lim(ƒ(x) – g(x)) given that lim ƒ(x) =0 and


x>1 x>1
lim g(x) = -1
x>1

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