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Lec2 PDF
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Lecture 2
Limits
y = f(x)
y
x
Figure 1: Graph of a generic function, with x and y marked on the graph
y
x
dy
as x 0
dx
Examples
1. q = charge
dq
= electrical current
dt
2. s = distance
ds
= speed
dt
3. T = temperature
dT
= temperature gradient
dx
Lecture 2
satellite
h
you
s
L
Figure 3: On problem set 1, you will look at this simplied at earth model
Lecture 2
Remember,
lim
xx0
f
f (x0 + x) f (x0 )
= lim
x xx0
x
is never an easy limit, because the denominator x = 0 is not allowed. (The limit x x0 is
computed under the implicit assumption that x =
x0 .)
Continuity
We say f (x) is continuous at x0 when
lim f (x) = f (x0 )
xx0
Pictures
x
Figure 4: Graph of the discontinuous function listed below
f (x) =
x+1
x
x>0
x0
Lecture 2
lim f (x) = 1
x 0
but f (0) = 0. (One can also say, f is continuous from the left at 0, not the right.)
1.
Removable Discontinuity
Figure 5: A removable discontinuity: function is continuous everywhere, except for one point
xx0
Left-hand limit:
xx0
xx
0
xx0
If lim+ f (x) = lim f (x) but this is not f (x0 ), or if f (x0 ) is undened, we say the disconti
xx0
xx0
nuity is removable.
For example,
sin(x)
is dened for x =
0. We will see later how to evaluate the limit as x 0.
x
Lecture 2
2.
Jump Discontinuity
x0
Figure 6: An example of a jump discontinuity
lim for (x < x0 ) exists, and lim for (x > x0 ) also exists, but they are NOT equal.
xx+
0
3.
xx0
Innite Discontinuity
x0+
1
= ;
x
x0
1
x
1
=
x
Lecture 2
4.
Figure 8: An example of an ugly discontinuity: a function that oscillates a lot as it approaches the origin
This function doesnt even go to it doesnt make sense to say it goes to anything. For
something like this, we say the limit does not exist.
Lecture 2
y
x
1
1
x
x
Notice that the graph of f (x) does NOT look like the graph of f (x)! (You might also notice
that f (x) is an odd function, while f (x) is an even function. The derivative of an odd function is
always even, and vice versa.)
Lecture 2
This time, someone throws a pumpkin over the tallest building on campus.
Figure 11: Top: graph of y(t) = 400 16t2 . Bottom: the derivative, y (t)
Lecture 2
lim
sin
= 1;
lim
1 cos
=0
sin
arc
length
=
sin
arc
length
=
Lecture 2
arc
length
=
1 - cos
cos
Figure 14: Same picture as Fig. 12 except that the horizontal distance between the edge of the triangle and the
perimeter of the circle is marked
From Fig. 15 we can see that as 0, the length 1 cos of the short segment gets much
1 cos
smaller than the vertical distance along the arc. Hence,
0.
arc
length
=
cos
10
1 - cos
Lecture 2
We end this lecture with a theorem that will help us to compute more derivatives next time.
Theorem: Dierentiable Implies Continuous.
If f is dierentiable at x0 , then f is continuous at x0 .
xx0
f (x) f (x0 )
(x x0 ) = f (x0 ) 0 = 0.
x x0
Remember: you can never divide by zero! The rst step was to multiply by
x x0
. It looks as
x x0
0
if this is illegal because when x = x0 , we are multiplying by . But when computing the limit as
0
x x0 we always assume x = x0 . In other words x x0 = 0. So the proof is valid.
11