MATH 2010 – SGTA problems – 2020S1 Week 3

1 Algebra
1. Find real numbers a, b, and c such that

span (1, 2, 1), (3, 2, −5) = (x, y, z) ∈ R3 : ax + by + cz = 0 .



 
1 2
2. Express the matrix as a linear combination of the matrices
3 4
     
1 0 0 1 4 3
, ,
0 −1 −1 0 2 1

3. Express 2x3 − 9x2 + 16x − 9 as a linear combination of x − 1, (x − 1)2 , and

(x − 1)3 . That is, find real numbers k1 , k2 , and k3 so that 2x3 − 9x2 +
16x − 9 = k1 (x − 1) + k2 (x − 1)2 + k3 (x − 1)3 .

4. Let P3 stand for the vector space of all polynomials in x with real coeffi-
cients. Show that the set

{p(x) ∈ P3 : p(1) = 0 and deg(p(x)) ≤ 3}

is a subspace of P3 . Is it equal to the span of x − 1, (x − 1)2 , and (x − 1)3 ?

Explain which steps must be followed in order to answer this question.

2 Calculus

0, x < 1,
1. Let f : R −→ R : f (x) = . Sketch the graph of the function.
2, x ≥ 1
Use the ε − δ definition of the limit to show that:

(a) lim f (x) 6= 2:

x→1

i. consider ε = 12 ; for some δ specify the open balls Bε=1/2 (2) and
Bδ (1)\ {1};

1
 ii. show that for any δ the panctured ball (the point x = 1 is ex-
cluded) Bδ (1)\ {1} = {x : 1 − δ < x < 1 + δ} \ {1} contains points
x where f (x) = 0 ∈/ B1/2 (2).
(b) lim f (x) 6= 0.
x→1
Hence deduce that lim f (x) does not exist.
x→1
(c) Is f (x) continuous at x = 1? Justify your answer.

0, x 6= 2,
2. Consider the function f (x) = . Sketch the graph of the func-
1, x = 2
tion.

(a) calculate the right− and the left− hand side limits at x = 2. Deduce
that lim f (x) = 0.
x→2

0, x 6= 2,
(b) use the ε − δ definition to show that the limit of f (x) =
1, x = 2
at x = 2 is 0.
(c) Is f (x) continuous at x = 2? State your arguments.
2
3. Consider the function f (x) = (x − 3) .

(a) use properties of limits to show that lim f (x) = 0.

x→3
(b) use the ε − δ definition to show that lim f (x) = 0.
x→3
(c) Is this function continuous at x = 3? State your arguments.

4. Letting (x, y) approach (0, 0) along different lines y = ax, where a is a

real constant (then f (x, y) = f (x, ax)) calculate the limits

2xy x2 − y 2
(a) lim ; (b) lim
(x,ax)→(0,0) x2 − 5y 2 (x,y)→(0,0) x2 + y 2
and explain why they do not exist.

5. Consider the function with domain A = (x, y) ∈ R2 : (x, y) 6= (0, 0)
given by:
2x2 y
f (x, y) = 4 .
x + y2
Letting (x, y) approach (0, 0) along straight lines y = ax, where a is a real
constant, show that the limiting value is zero.
It is not enough to deduce that the limit exists. Explain why.
Show that f (x, y) is constant along each parabola of the form y = kx2 in
A.
Explain why f (x, y) has no limit as (x, y) → (0, 0). Is it possible to assign
a value to f (0, 0) in such a way as to make f continuous at (0, 0)?