Limit and Continuity

Limit of a function:
lim f ( x )
x a
is said to exist when both left-hand and right-hand limits exists and they
are equal.We write
lim f ( x ) lim f ( x ) lim f ( x )
x a x a x a
as
Rules for finding Limits:
If f(x) and g(x) are two functions then
lim[ f x g ( x)] lim f ( x) lim g ( x)
xa x a x a
(i)
lim[ f x g ( x)] lim f ( x) lim g ( x)
x a xa x a
(ii)
lim f x . g ( x) limf(x).lim g ( x)
xa x a xa
(iii)
f ( x ) lim f (x )
lim x a if lim g ( x ) 0
x a g ( x ) lim g( x ) x a
x a
(iv)
Methods for finding Limits:
1. Substitution Method:- In this method, we substitute the limiting value of x, in the given
function to obtain the limit.
2. Factorization Method:- In this method, we factories the numerator and denominator,
cancel the common factor and then substitute the limiting value of x to obtain the limit of
the function.
3. Simplification Method:- In this method we simplify the function using the common
denominator cancel the common factor and then substitute the limiting value of x to find
the limit of the function.
4. Rationalization method:- In this method we rationalise the numerator or denominator
by multiplying and dividing by the rationalizing factor, then simplifying and canceling
the common factor and substituting the limiting value of x to obtain the limit of the
function.
Limit to infinity
Sometimes the variable x may take values which go on increasing indefinitely and we
x
say that and then find the limit of the function.
Some important Limits:
ex 1
lim 1
x 0 x
i)
ax 1
lim log e a( a 0)
x 0 x
ii)
log(1 x )
lim 1
x 0 x
iii)
 1 x
(1 x ) x 1
lim e lim 1 e
x 0 x x
x
iv) or
x a
n n
lim na n 1
x a x a
v)

Continuity
A function f(x) is said to be continuous at x = a if
lim f ( x ) f ( a ); lim f ( x ) lim f ( x ) f ( a )
x a x a x a

Exercise
(1) Find the domain and range for the following functions
x 6
f (x ) 3x 5
x 1
(i)
f ( x ) |x | 2 x 2
(ii)

(2) For the function f(x) = 3x2 +2x -1 find f (2), f(-3) f(0) and f(x+ 4)

Evaluate:

x 2 4x 3
lim
x 3 x 2 6x 9
1.

x 3 4 x 48
lim
x 4 x 2 7x 12
2.

3x 2 2 x 7
lim
x 1 x 1
3.

1 4
lim 2
x 4 x 2 x x 6
4.

3x 3x
lim
x 0 x
5.
x 2 x 20
lim
x 5
3x 1 4
6.
 1.4 2.5 3.6 ............
lim
n n4
7.

13 23 33 .........
lim
n n4
8.
2n2 5n2 n
lim
n 4 n3 1
9.
x 4
x 6
lim
x x 1

10.
x 3 t3
lim
x t x 2 t2
11.
n2 n 5
lim
n n n 1 n 2
12.
4 x 5x 6x 3x 1
lim
n 0 x
13.
2
lim 1 2x x
x 0
14.

n
9
lim 1
x
n
15.

n 4
1
lim 1
n
n
16.

3 3
x 2
2 4
lim 1
x 2
x 2 4

17.

log x log 2
lim
n 2 x 2
18.

x n 2n
lim 80, n N ,
x 2 x 2
19. then find the value of n.
 f 2 h f (2)
lim 12
h 0 h
20. If f(x) = x2 show that

21. Consider
f ( x ) 1 if x 0
0 if x 0
,Examine whether the function is continuous at x = 0.
f (x ) x
22. Is the function continuous at x=0?