BASIC CALCULUS

Chapter 1: Limits and Continuity

LEARNING COMPETENCIES

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. illustrate the limit of a function using a table of values and the graph of the function,
2. distinguish the difference between lim f ( x) and f (a),
x →a

3. apply the limit laws in evaluating the limit of algebraic functions (polynomial, rational, and
radical.

P21 Learning Skills: Critical Thinking, Critical Reading, Imagination, and Creativity

Pre – Assessment
ACTIVATE YOUR SCHEMA! Process and answer this question: What comes to your mind
when you hear the word limits and continuity? Think hard and write your answer on the line
provided.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________

LEARNING OUTPUTS
LO1: Cite and model real life situations about limits of a function.

TIME ALLOTMENT
180 minutes (3 hours)

LESSON 1: The Limit of a Function

About the Lesson

In this lesson, you will look at the very foundation of calculus – the concept of limit of a
function. The concept of the limit serves as the starting point for the two branches of calculus:
differential and integral calculus. Hence, mastery of this topic is essential in the study of calculus
and its applications.

Introduction

Good morning! How are you today?

Imagine that you are going to Batangas City Sports Center Coliseum to watch a basketball
game. When you choose your seat, of course you want to be as close to see the action as
possible. You really want to be as close to the players as possible and have the best view of the
game, as if you were the one playing the game. But take note that you cannot play the game
because you are just one of audience. All you have to do is be close enough for you to describe
what is happening in the game.

1
 BASIC CALCULUS

This is how it works with limits of a function. If we consider a function in a single variable and
observe the behavior at its variable approaches a particular value, then this variable can only
take values which are very close to a certain number or constant, but not necessarily equal to the
constant itself.

In this lesson, multiple representations of different functions will be stressed: verbal,

numerical, visual, and algebraic. A discussion of mathematical models leads to a review of the
standard functions from these points of view. Limits are treated from descriptive, graphical,
numerical, and algebraic points of view.

2
 BASIC CALCULUS

Opening Activity – ENGAGE: Look Back in the Past

Look at this scenario over a thousand years ago. Archimedes was able to approximate the
area of a circle using the area of a regular polygon with n-sides inscribed in a circle as seen in
figure 1.

Figure 1. Some approximations to the area of a circle using inscribed polygons

He was able to accomplish this because during his time, they already know how to
compute for the area of regular polygons. Notice that the degree of accuracy of such
approximation becomes better as the number of sides of the polygon becomes larger.
Think of it:
“Imagine what happens to the area of the inscribed polygon with n-sides if the number of
its sides continuously increases without ending?”

3
 BASIC CALCULUS

EXPLORE

Limit of a Function

Archimedes technique, which was mentioned in the introduction, is an example of a

process that is commonly known as limiting process. The concept of limit allows us to study
continuous change. This is basically the idea of calculus, which is commonly described as the
mathematics of change.

Illustration
( x − 1)(5 − 2 x)
Example 1. Consider the function defined by f ( x) = . Determine the limit of
x −1
f ( x) as x approaches 1.

With the aid of Geogebra, the graph of f ( x) is shown below.

Figure 2. Limiting process for rational function

Notice that f ( x) is not defined at x = 1. Observe that as x takes values sufficiently close to
1, the values of f ( x) become closer and closer to 3. That is if we keep on choosing values of x
that are close to 1, we can trace through the graph that the corresponding values of f ( x) are
close to 3.
Hence, we say that the limit of f ( x) as x approaches 1 is 3. In symbols, we write

lim f ( x) = 3 or lim
( x − 1)( 5 − 2 x ) = 3.
x →1 x →1 x −1

To further verify that we obtained the actual limit, let us assign values to x that are close to
1 and observe the values that f ( x) takes.
4
 BASIC CALCULUS

Table 1

x 0.5 0.7 0.9 0.99 1 1.01 1.1 1.3 1.5

f(x) 4 3.6 3.2 3.02 ? 2.98 2.8 2.41 2

In table of values above, it can be observed that as x takes values that are very close to 1
either from left or from right, f ( x) takes values that are very close to 3.

Definition

Let f ( x) be a function defined on some open interval containing the number a except
possibly at a itself. Then the limit of f ( x) as x approaches a is L, which is written as lim f ( x) = L, if
x→a

and only if the values of f ( x) gets closer and closer to one and only one number L as x takes
values that are closer and closer to a.

Example 2. Let f ( x) = x + 1. Evaluate lim x + 1.

x →0

Solution:

The graph of f ( x) using Geogebra is shown below. Observe that as x approaches 0, f ( x)

becomes closer and closer to 1. Therefore, we can say that the lim x + 1 = 1. It can be also
x →0
verified by assigning values of x which are greater than or equal to negative 1.

Note that a radical function is only defined for a nonnegative radicand.

(Recall the domain of square root function).

Figure 3. Limiting process for radical function

5
 BASIC CALCULUS

1
Example 3. Find lim .
x →1 x −1
Solution:
The table below shows some values of x close to 1 and their corresponding function
values.
Table 2

x 0.5 0.7 0.9 0.99 1 1.01 1.1 1.3 1.5

f(x) -2 -3.33 -10 -100 undefined 100 10 3.33 2

Notice that in table 2 as x approaches 1 through values which are less than 1, f ( x) keeps
decreasing and becomes very large negative, and it seems that there is no specific number that
f ( x) will get close to as x approaches 1 through such values. The same thing happens as x
approaches 1 through values greater than 1, where f ( x) gets very larger positive. Hence,
1
lim does not exist (DNE).
x →1 x +1

The graph of f ( x) is shown below.

Figure 4. Value of the function at x = 1

6
 BASIC CALCULUS

Limit Laws

In the previous discussions, you have seen two different methods of determining limits; that
is through observation of graphs and a table of values. You might ask: Do we need to always
construct a table of values or graph the function to determine a limit? Making table of values is
very tedious. However, the graph will be sketched using Geogebra to verify if the obtained limit is
correct. In this lesson, we will see fundamental theorems as well as some algebraic techniques
that we can use to evaluate limits more precisely.

In the following statements, a is a constant, f ( x) and g ( x) are functions which may or may
not have a in their domains.

1. The limit of a constant is itself. If k is any constant, then,

lim k = k .
x →a

2. The identity of a limit. The limit of x as x approaches a is equal to a.

lim x = a.
x →a

Let lim f ( x) = L and lim g ( x) = M .

x →a x →a

3. Scalar multiple of a limit.

lim[k • f ( x)] = k • L
x →a

4. The limit of the sum and difference is the sum and difference of the limit.

lim[ f ( x)  g ( x)] = L  M
x →a

5. The limit of the product is the product of the limit.

lim[ f ( x) • g ( x)] = L • M
x →a

6. The limit of the quotient is the quotient of the limit.

f ( x) L
lim = , provided that M  0
x→a g ( x) M

1 1
7. For n  Z + , the lim[ f ( x)]n = Ln and lim[ f ( x)] n = Ln .
x →a x →a

7
 BASIC CALCULUS

Let P and Q be polynomial functions.

8. The lim P( x) = P (a ).
x →a

P( x) P(a)
9. The lim = , provided Q(a)  0.
x →a Q( x) Q(a)

Examples: Evaluate the following limits.

1. lim 2 = 2
x→−5

2. lim x = 10
x →10

3. lim(3 − 5 x) = lim 3 − lim 5 x

x →3 x →3 x →3

= 3 − 5lim x
x →3

= 3 − 5(3)
= 3 −15
= −12

x −1 lim( x − 1)
4. lim = x →−1 2
x →−1 2 x + 1
2
lim(2 x + 1)
x →−1

lim x − lim 1
= x →−1 x →−1

lim 2 x 2 + lim 1
x →−1 x →−1

−1 − 1
=
2( −1) 2 + 1
2
=−
3

x2 + x − 1 x2 + x −1
5. lim = lim
x →−2 4 − 2x x →−2 4 − 2 x

lim x 2 + x − 1
= x →−2

lim 4 − 2 x
x →−2

(−2) 2 + (−2) − 1
=
4 − 2(−2)

8
 BASIC CALCULUS

1
=
8

2
=
4

Additional examples verifying the limit theorems with the use of Geogebra is shown in the
figure below.

Figure 5. Limiting Process of Different Functions

Remember:
The limit of a function is not always equal to the value of f(a) of a function. If the function
is a polynomial, then f (a) = lim f ( x) . The limit of a function is not dependent on the
x →a

value of the function. It is because the value of the function might be undefined
x2 − 9 0
like in the function f ( x) = . In this case, f (3) = (this is an example of indeterminate
x −3 0
x −9
2
( x − 3)( x + 3)
form of alimit) but lim = lim = 6.
x →3 x − 3 x →3 ( x − 3)

9
 BASIC CALCULUS

Infinite Limits

1 1
Let f ( x) = 2
and g ( x) = − 2 . Observe the behavior of the two functions as x approaches
x x
0 as seen in the figure below.

Figure 6

Notice that the graph of f(x) and g(x) are both asymptotic to the vertical line x=0. The
value of f becomes very large as x takes the values close to 0. We use the symbol “+∞” read as
positive infinity to represent the increasing behavior of f. In contrast to the behavior of f, the value
of g becomes very small as x takes the values close to 0. We use the symbol “-∞” read as
negative infinity to represent the decreasing behavior of g. Thus, we can say that the
lim f ( x) = + and the lim g ( x) = −. These limits are called infinite limits.
x →0 x →0

We can also have an infinite limit even if x approaches a specific number from only one
direction.
The following properties would be helpful in evaluating infinite limits.
1. Let n  Z + (Z stands for all positive integers). Then:
1
a. lim+ n
= +; and
x →0 x

1 + if n is even
b. lim− n = 
x →0 x
− if n is odd
2. Let lim f ( x) = c  0 and lim g ( x) = 0. Then:
x →a x →a

10
 BASIC CALCULUS

f ( x)
a. lim = + if c  0 and g ( x) → 0+ , or if c  0 and g ( x) → 0− , and
x→a g ( x)
f ( x)
b. lim = − if c  0 and g ( x) → 0− , or if c  0 and g ( x) → 0+.
x→a g ( x)

Note that g ( x) → 0 + and g ( x) → 0 − mean that the values of g become closer and closer
to 0 through positive and negative values, respectively. It is also valid even if x → a is replaced by
x → a .

Example 1. Evaluate the following limits by using property number 1.

5 10 5
a. lim+ = + b. lim− − = + c. lim+ = −
x →0 x3 x →0 x5 x →0 x4
The graph is shown below.

Figure 7. Visualizing Infinite Limits

Example 2. Evaluate the following limits, if it exists.

x+5 2x − 3
1. lim b. lim+
x → 2+ x−2 x →−2 2+ x

Solution:
a. Applying property number 2, note that lim+ ( x + 5) = 7  0 and lim+ ( x − 2) = 0. To determine
x →2 x →2

whether x-2 is approaching 0 through positive or negative values, chose a value of x close to
but greater than 2,say x = 2.01, and substitute to x-2.
x − 2 = 2.01 − 2 = .01  0.

x+5
Thus, ( x − 2) → 0 + and lim+ = +.
x →2 x−2

11
 BASIC CALCULUS

b. Applying property number 2, note that lim+ (2 x − 3) = −7  0 and lim+ (2 + x) = 0. To determine

x →−2 x →−2

whether 2+x is approaching 0 through positive or negative values, chose a value of x close to but
less than -2,say x = −2.01, and substitute to 2+ x.
2 + x = 2 − 2.01 = −.01  0.
2x − 3
Thus, (2 + x) → 0 − and lim+ = −.
x →−2 2 + x

Figure 8. Limiting Process of a Rational Functions

12
 BASIC CALCULUS

EXPLAIN

Processing Questions

1
• What happens to the value of as x increases and gets very large (approaching
x
infinity)?

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

1
• What happens to the value of as x decreases and gets very close to zero?
x

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

1 1
• If you keep adding more terms in the geometric series 8 + 4 + 2 + 1 + + + ... as the
2 4
number of terms gets larger, then what happens to the sum of the series?

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

13
 BASIC CALCULUS

ELABORATE

To check your understanding of the lesson, answer the following questions. You may
use calculator when necessary.

1. Make a table of values to investigate the following:

x2 − 4x + 5
a. lim( x − 4 x + 5)
2
b. lim
x →3 x →−2 x−2

2. Consider the function f ( x) =  x + 1 whose graph is shown below.

What can be said about the limit of f(x):

a. at x = -3, -1, and 1? b. at non-integer values of x?

14
 BASIC CALCULUS

EVALUATE

Activity 1.1

Directions: Evaluate each of the following limits, if it exists. Show your complete solutions in the
space provided. Make sure to apply the limit laws as possible.

x−4
1. lim
x →4 x 2 − 16

2x −1
2. lim
x →−8 x − 15

3. lim ( x 3 − 4 x 2 + 3 x − 2020)
x →−2

2− 3 x
4. lim
x →8 8 − x

( x + 2) 2 − 4
5. lim
x →0 3x

15
 BASIC CALCULUS

Prepare for ASSESSMENT 1 to be uploaded in your LMS.

16