Limits and Continuity

Limits
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Graphical Introduction to the Limits of a Function

Definition of the Limit of the Function.
Limit Theorems
One Sided Limits
Infinite Limits and Limits at Infinity.

Investigate the behavior of the function

x2 x 2
f ( x)
x 1

near

x 1

Assigning x-values:
x

0.8 0.9 0.95 0.99 0.999

f(x) 2.8 2.9 2.95 2.99 2.999

This behavior is described by:

lim f ( x) 3
x 1

1.001 1.01 1.05

1.1

3.001 3.01 3.05 3.10

Geometric Interpretation:
Note:
Limits describe the behavior of the
function near a particular point, not
necessarily at the point itself.

lim f ( x) 3
x 1

Definition: Limit
Let f be a function defined at every number in some open interval
containing a , except possibly at the number a itself. Then,
lim f ( x) L
x a

if for a given number > 0, a number > 0

s.t. f(x) L < whenever 0 < x a < .

Exercises:
By using properties of inequalities, determine a > 0 such that
0 < x a < , then f(x) L< holds for the given value of .
(2 x 4) 10 0.1
1. lim
x 3
(3 4 x) 7 0.02
2. xlim
1
(7 3x) 2
3. lim
x 3

Exercises:
Prove the following using the definition of limit of a function
(2 x 1) 9
1. lim
x 4
(3 2 x x 2 ) 4
2. lim
x 1
( x 2 x 6) 0 0.005
3. lim
x 2

Limit Theorems:
Limit of a constant: If c is a constant, then lim c c
x a

Limit of a linear function: If m and b are any constants, then

lim mx b ma b

x a

Limit of the identity function: lim x a

x a

Limit of a constant multiple: If k is a constant and lim f ( x) L

x a
then lim kf ( x) k lim f ( x) kL
x a

x a

Limit Theorems:
If lim f ( x) L and lim g ( x) M then
x a

x a

Limit of a sum or difference:

lim f ( x) g ( x) lim f ( x) lim g ( x) L M
x a

x a

x a

Limit of a product:
lim f ( x) g ( x) lim f ( x) lim g ( x) LM
x a

x a

x a

Limit of quotient:
f ( x) L
f ( x) lim
x a
lim

, M 0
x a g ( x)
g ( x) M

lim
x a

Limit Theorems:
Limit of power: If m and m are integers and lim f ( x) L ,
x a
then
lim f ( x)

n/m

x a

lim f ( x)
x a

n/m

Ln / m

Exercises:
Find the following limits and indicate the limit theorem
being used.
4x 5
4. lim
x 3 5 x 1

1. lim (2 x 7)
x 2

2. lim (3 5 x) 2
x 1/2

3. lim 2 x 2 4 x 5
x 3

8t 1
5. lim
t 1 t 3

Indeterminate Limits:

To solve limits of the form 0/0, we

can either find and cancel a common
factor or multiply by a conjugate.

Example:
1.

x2 1
( x 1)( x 1)
lim
lim
x 1 x 1
x 1
x 1
lim x 1
x 1

lim x lim 1
x 1

x 1

11
2

2.

x 2
lim
x 4 x 4

Exercises:
9x2 4
1. lim
x 2 / 3 3 x 2
y3 8
2. lim
y 2 y 2
3s 2 8s 16
3. lim 2
s 4 2s 9s 4

x2 2
4. lim
x 0
x
h5 2
5. lim
h 1
h 1
3 y 1
6. lim
y 1 y 1

ONE-SIDED LIMITS

Definition: Right-hand Limit

Let f be a function defined at every number in some open interval
(a,c). Then, the limit of f as x approaches a from the right is L,
written as
lim f ( x) L

x a

if for any > 0, however small, a number > 0

s.t. if 0 < x a < then f (x) L < .

Definition: left-hand Limit

Let f be a function defined at every number in some open interval
(a,c). Then, the limit of f as x approaches a from the left is L,
written as
lim f ( x) L

x a

if for any > 0, however small, a number > 0

s.t. if 0 < a - x < then f (x) L < .

Example: Signum Function

1

sgn x 0
1

if

x0

if

x0

if

0 x

a. Draw the graph of this function.

sgn x and lim sgn x , if
b. Find xlim
0
x 0
they exist.

Theorem:

Examples:
x 3 if
1. f ( x)
3 x if

x 2

find

x 2

t 2 if t 2
2.g (t )
8 2t if t 2

find

lim g (t )

find

lim h(r )

2r 3 if r 1

3. h(r ) 0 if r 1
7 2r if r 1

4. f ( x)

x
x

find

lim f ( x)
x 0

lim f ( x)

x 2

t 2

r 1

Exercises:

x 4 if
1. f ( x)
4 x if

x 4

x 4

3 t 2 if t 2

2.g (t ) 0 if t 2
11 t 2 if t 2

find

find

r 2 9 if r 3

3. h(r ) 9 r 2 if 3 r 3
2

r
9 if r 3

4. f ( x) 2 x sgn( x 2)

find

lim f ( x)

x 4

lim g (t )

t 2

find

lim f ( x)
x2

lim h(r ) and

r 3

lim h(r )

r 3

INFINITE LIMITS

Definition of Function Values Increasing

Without Bound
Let f be a function defined at every number in some open interval I
containing a, except possibly at a itself. As x approaches a, f
increases without bound, written as
lim f ( x)
x a

if for any number N>0, a >0 s.t.

if 0 < | x a | < then f(x)>N

Example:
Find

lim
x0

3
x2

Definition of Function Values Decreasing

Without Bound
Let f be a function defined at every number in some open interval I
containing a, except possibly at a itself. As x approaches a, f
decreases without bound, written as
lim f ( x)
x a

if for any number N<0, a >0 s.t.

if 0 < | x a | < then f(x)<N

Example:
Find

lim
x 0

3
x2

Theorem:
For any positive integer r,
i.

ii.

lim

x 0

1
x

1 if r is even
lim r
x 0
x
if r is odd

Theorem:

Examples:
2x
1. lim
x 1
x 1
x2 x 2
2. lim 2
x 3
x 2x 3

Exercises:
t2
1. lim 2
t 2
t 4

t 2
5. lim
t 2
(t 2) 2

3 x2
2. lim
x 0
x
1 1
3. lim 2
x 0 x
x

16 x 2
6. lim
x 4
x4
3
1
7. lim
2

s 2 s 2
s 4
3 sgn( x 3) x
8. lim
x 3
3 x

2 4 x3
4. lim
x 0
5 x 2 3x 3

LIMITS AT INFINITY

Definition of the Limit of f(x) as x Increases

Without Bound
Let f be a function defined at every number in some open interval
(a,+ ).The limit of f(x), as x increases without bound is L, written
as
lim f ( x) L

if for every >0 , however small, a number N>0

s.t. if x>N then | f(x) L | <

Definition of the Limit of f(x) as x Decreases

Without Bound
Let f be a function defined at every number in some open interval
(-, a ).The limit of f(x), as x decreases without bound is L, written
as
lim f ( x) L

if for every >0 , however small, a number N<0

s.t. if x<N then | f(x) L | < .

Example:
Given:

2x2
f ( x) 2
x 1

Find: lim f ( x) and lim f ( x)

x
x

Theorem:
For any constant c and positive integer r,

c
lim r 0
x x

c
lim r 0
x x

Examples:
4x 5
x 1
3

lim

lim

3x 2 6 x 2
lim
x
2x 9

3 x
x

Exercises:
x x2
lim 2
x x 2 x 3
2

x x2
lim
x 1 2 x x 3
2

x 4
x2
2

lim

y 1
lim
y 2 y 2 3
4

lim 2 4t
t t

2y 4
lim
y 5 y 3
3

ASYMPTOTES

Definition: Vertical Asymptote

The line x=a is a vertical asymptote of the function f
if either

lim f ( x)

x a

or

lim f ( x)

x a

Definition: Horizontal Asymptotes

The line y=b is a horizontal asymptote of the graph
of the function f if at least one of the following statements
is true:

(i) lim

f ( x) b

(ii ) lim

f ( x) b

Definition: oblique Asymptotes

The line y=mx+b is said to be an oblique asymptote
of the graph of the function f if at least one of the
following statements is true:

(i) lim

f ( x) (mx b) 0

(ii ) lim

f ( x) (mx b) 0

Examples:
Using limits, sketch the graph of the following
functions
x 9
f ( x) 2
x 1

x3
f ( x)
x 5
2 4x
f ( x)
x2

x 9
f ( x) 2
x 1

x3
f ( x)
x 5

2 4 x3
f ( x)
2
x

The End...

Solomot!