LESSON PLAN FOR INTRO TO CALCULUS

Topic: Evaluating limits of functions using direct substitution

Grade Level: 11th to 13th
Date: 3/9/17

Common Core Standards Addressed:

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
CCSS.Math.Practice.MP2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
CCSS.Math.Practice.MP3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of
others.
CCSS.Math.Practice.MP5 Use appropriate tools strategically.
CCSS.Math.Practice.MP6 Attend to precision.
CCSS.Math.Content.HSF.IF.A.1
CCSS.Math.Content.HSF.IF.A.2

Aim: How do we evaluate limits of functions using direct substitution?

Objectives: By the end of the lesson, the students should be able to

1. explain how to determine the limit of a function algebraically. (conceptual)
2. determine the limit of a function by using direct substitution. (procedural)
3. determine what the limit of a constant is. (procedural/conceptual)

Prior Knowledge:
Students should know how to analyze graphs of functions.
They should know what a limit and one-sided limit are and how to determine the limit of
a function graphically.

Possible student misconceptions about the content of the lesson:

Students may think that the limit of a constant does not exist.

Material/Equipment:
SMARTBoard
Chalk board
Handouts

Vocabulary:
Limit If the values of f(x) can be made as close as we like to L by making x sufficiently
close to a (but not equal to a), then we write
( )
Which is read the limit of f(x) as x approaches a is L.

One-sided limit- If the values of f(x) can be made as close as we like to L by making x
sufficiently close to a but greater than a, then we write
( )
which is read the limit of f(x) as x approaches a from the right is L. Similarly, if the
values of f(x) can be made as close as we like to L by making x sufficiently close to a but
less than a, then we write
 ( )
which is read the limit of f(x) as x approaches a from the left is L.
Direct Substitution Property - If f is a function and a is in the domain of f, then
( ) ( )

Source: Calculus A New Horizon by Howard Anton

Do Now/Start-up Task:
On page 8 in your packet, do #17.

Motivation:
Display the slide with the limit of 3 as x approaches 5. Ask a student to read that for the
class.
- what does the 3 represent?
- what would that look like graphically?
- what do you think the limit of this constant will be?
Go on Desmos and graph y=3.
- So what is the limit by looking at the graph?
Uncover the second problem on that slide.
- what do you think the limit of square root 2 would be as x approaches 27?
Why?
Graph it on Desmos.
-What about if x approaches 700?
Is there a general rule we can come up with? Allow students to work with the
person next to them to try and develop the limit law. Have students share and explain
their answer.

Development and Instructional Activities:

Greet students, have slide with do now, homework, and aim up, and then have
them start the do now. While they are working on the do now, go around and
check students homework. After review with students by asking:
- What is a limit?
- What is the relationship between one-sided limits and limits?
Start going around the room and having a student share their answer for one of the
packet questions letter (ex: one student shares 8a, another 8b, etc). After one
problem is completely done ask if there are any answers students disagree with.
Problems are on the slide so that its easier for students to explain if needed.
Have a student explain the AP Calculus test problem from the homework. Ask
the student how they approached this problem. Go over the last problem from the
homework as well, allowing students to share if they agree or disagree and why.
Finally, continue going down the rows to have students share their answers to the
do now.
Why wasnt the answer -2 for letter e?
Display the next slide with the limit of 3 as x approaches 5.
Ask a student to read that for the class.
- What does the 3 represent?
- What would that look like graphically?
- Would it be a linear, horizontal, or vertical line? How do you
know?
 - What do you think the limit of this constant will be? Write their
answers on the board. Let students explain their reasoning.
Go on Desmos and graph it. Ask them again what the limit would be. Write the
correct answer next to the limit problem on the slide. Uncover the second problem
on that slide. Ask students:
- What do you think the limit of square root 2 would be as x
approaches 27? Why?
- Graph it on Desmos.
- What about if x approaches 700?
- Is there a general rule we can come up with? Allow students to
work with the person next to them to try and develop the limit law.
Have students share and explain their answer.
Explain that what they developed is what is known as a limit law. Show the 2
slides with all the limit laws and talk about a few. Explain to students that the
only one we will be looking at and need to know is the one they just developed.
The rest will be learned when they enter AP Calculus next year. Allow students
time to copy down the limit law when taking the limit of a constant into their
notes. Have a student read it out loud and another student explain it.
Go to the next slide. Ask:
- What if we wanted to take the limit of square root of 4+x as x approaches 5,
how can we do this graphically? What is our function?
Graph it on Desmos.
- What is the limit? How do you know?
Write the answer next to the problem. Go to the second limit problem on the slide
and graph it on Desmos.
- What is the limit of this polynomial as x approaches -9?
Write the answer next to the problem. Go to the third limit problem on the slide
and graph it on Desmos.
- What is the limit of the rational function as x approaches 2?
Write the answer next to the problem. With all the answers up ask the following:
- What if we wanted to determine the limits without using a graph?
Is there a way we can do this? Allow students time for a turn and
talk, this way they are working with someone different. After some
time has passed allow students to share their answers. If no one
sees they can substitute the number x is approaching into the
function ask them Is there any connection between what x is
approaching and the function? What if we were to substitute that
number into the function?
Introduce the word direct substitution. Re-do the first problem using direct
substitution and explain that we drop the limit notation when we do direct
substitution. Ask if anyone knows why. Allow students to do the other 2 to see
that it works. Have 2 students come up and do it using direct substitution to make
sure that students drop the limit notation when we use direct substitution.
Allow students time to copy the definition on the next slide into their notes. Have
a student read it out loud and see if a student can explain it in their own words.
The next slide has 6 problems for students to work on. Tell students that if they
have any questions on any of them to ask the person next to them for help first.
When they are done, tell them to look over each others work. Continuing from
where I left off when choosing students around the room, have the next 6 come up
 and put their work on the board. For part d, ask how the student was able to
determine the limit.
Present the last slide with the question. Allow students to work in a group of 4 to
try to come up with their own limit problem that evaluates to 2 and is a binomial.
As I go around ask students:
- What do you think it means by evaluates to 2?
- What part of the limit is the function?
- What is a binomial?
- How can we make your binomial evaluate to 2?
Allow each group to come up and share their example on the board. Ask students
how do we know each of the above limit problems will evaluate to 2? Do each
of these problems contain a binomial function? What is a binomial?
After the discussion, distribute the exit slip and collect it from students.

Assessment:
I will be asking students questions to assess their understanding as well as walk around as
they are doing the problems. The exit slip will assess their understanding of applying
direct substitution.

Summary:
1. How can we determine the limit of a function algebraically?
2. Determine the limit of the following function using direct substitution:
( )
3. What is the limit of a constant? Why?

Homework:
Handout