SM015 / 8.

LIMITS & CONTINUITY

CHAPTER 8 : LIMITS & CONTINUITY

LECTURE 1 OF 4

8.1 LIMITS

Definition of Limit

A function f(x) is said to approach a constant L as a limit when x approaches a as below,

lim f ( x)  L
x a

We are interested not in the value of f (x) when x  a but in the behavior of f(x) as x
comes closer and closer to a.

Means that as x gets closer to a, but x  a , f(x) gets closer to L, read as “the limit of f as
x approaches a is L”.

Notation
x  a means x approaches a from the right
x  a means x approaches a from the left
x a means x approaches a from both sides

The limit of a function can be evaluated by using different method

(1) Intuitive method

(2) By using properties

(1) Intuitive Method

Computation of a limit (intuitive approach)

(a) A table of values of x versus f(x) is drawn up
(b) The values of f(x) are observed to see whether they approach a particular
value.
Step 1 : Select several values of x close enough to a.
Step 2 : Observe the pattern of corresponding f  x  values
Step 3 : Then guess the value of f  x  when x is approaching a.

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Example 1

Find lim ( x2  1) =
x 0

Solution
xapproaching0 from the left xapproaching 0 from the right

x -1 -0.5 -0.25 -0.001 0 0.001 0.25 0.5 1

f(x)= x2+1
y

(2) By using properties

Properties of limit

Properties of Limits Example

(1) If f (x) = c , where c is a constant lim 5 
x 3
lim f ( x)  lim c  c
x a x a

(2) If f (x) = x, then lim x  a

xa
lim x 
x3

(3) If f (x) = xn, where n is a positive integer (n lim x 3 

> 0), then lim x  a
n n x 2
x a

 4 lim
xa
 f ( x)  g ( x)  lim
xa
f ( x)  lim g ( x)
xa
lim( x5  10) 
x 1

 5 lim  f ( x).g ( x)  lim f ( x).lim g ( x) lim( x2  5)( x  1) 

x a x a x a x 4

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(6) If c is a constant, then lim 5 x3 

lim c. f ( x)  c. lim f ( x) x 10
xa xa

f ( x) lim f ( x) x
 7  lim x a
 x a provided lim
x5 x2  10
g ( x) lim g ( x)
x a

lim g ( x)  0
x a

(8) If f is a polynomial function, then lim(3x2  4 x  10)

lim f ( x)  f (a) x2
xa

(substitution)

(9) lim n f ( x)  n lim f ( x) where n is a lim x4

xa xa x 0
positive integer and f(a)>0

Note: By substituting a in the lim f(x)  L , then L is the exact value of f(x) when x = a and
x a
the approximate value of f(x) when x approaches a, i.e. the limit is equal to exact
value.

Limit of the Rational Function

1) For a rational function, the limit can be found by substitution when the denominator is not
zero. If f(x) and g(x) are polynomials and c is any number, then
f ( x) lim f ( x ) f (c )
lim  xc  provided g (c )  0
xc g ( x) lim g ( x) g (c)
xc

Example 2
Find the limits (if exist)
1 3x  4
a  lim  b lim
x 1 x2 x 3 x2

EXERCISE
Find the limits of 2 x2  x  3
x  x4
2  b lim
 a  lim x 3 x3  4
x 2 x2  2 x  1

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 SM015 / 8. LIMITS & CONTINUITY

LECTURE 2 OF 4

lim f ( x) 0
2) If x c
 (indeterminate form), this function is undefined when x = c, but its limit may
lim g ( x) 0
x c
exist, then we use:

(i) factorization method

(ii) multiplication of conjugates method

(i) Finding limit using factorization method

Step 1: Factorize the numerator and denominator and

Step 2: Simplify common / like factor

Example 1
Find the limits (if exist)
x2  9 x2  x  6
 a  lim  b  lim
x 3 x  3 x 3 3 x

x3  8 e2 x  1
 c  lim  d  lim
x 2 x2  4 x 0 ex 1

Example 2
f (t )  f (2)
If f (t) = 2t2 + 1, determine the value of lim if exists
t 2 t 2

(ii) Finding limit using multiplication of conjugates method for functions related to surd

Step 1: Multiply both numerator and denominator by the conjugate of numerator or

denominator.
Step 2: Simplify the fraction.

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Example 3
Find the limits
2  x 1 x2
 a  xlim  b  lim
1 x 1
x 2 x2 2

x 1
 c lim
x1 2( x 1)

EXERCISE
1. Find the limits (if exist)
4 x2  x  3
 a  xlim
1 x 1
2 x2  5x  2
 b  lim
x 2 x2
(3  t )2  9
  t 0
c lim
t

2. Find the limits

 a  lim
 x 3 
x 3  x  3
1 x 1
 b lim
x0 x

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One - Sided Limits

Consider the graph below

y
x2  9
f ( x) 
6 x3

3 x

left hand limit Right hand limit

and
lim f ( x)  6 lim f ( x)  6
x 3 x3

One sided limit

Left hand limit Right hand limit

lim f ( x)  M lim f ( x)  L
xa xa

Example 1
Find  b xlim( x  2) 
 a  xlim(
3
x  2) 


3

Existence of Limits

lim f ( x)  lim f ( x)
Limit exist if and only if xa xa .

lim f ( x)  L , lim f ( x)  L
x a  x a 

 lim f ( x)  L
x a

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Example 2

If f ( x)  3x  1 , find the left-hand and right hand limit of f at x= 4 and hence determine
2

lim  3x 2  1
x 4

Estimating a limit from a graph

Example 3

Use the graph below to estimate each limit at x= -1, 0, 2, 4

y
2

0 2 4 x

Example 4
y
2 
1
x

1 2 3 4
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The above diagram shows the graph of the function f. Find

lim f ( x)
x1
(a)

lim f ( x)
x 2
(b)

lim f ( x)
x 3
(c)

Limit for Piecewise Function

Example 5
4  x 2 ; x 1 lim h( x).
(a) Given h( x)   . Find x1
2  x 2 ; x 1

2 ; x 1
f ( x)  
(b) Given 5 ; x  1 . Find lim f ( x)
x1

Example 6
ax  3 ;x2
 2
If f ( x)  bx  c ;2 x  4
8 ;x4

Determine the value of a, b and c given that lim f ( x)  5 , lim f ( x) and lim f ( x) exist.
x 2 x 2 x 4

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Limit for Absolute Values

Example 7
Find the limit (if exist)
3 x 1
 a  lim x 3  b  xlim
x 3 1 x 1

( x  3)( x  2)
 c lim
x 2 x2

EXERCISE
1. Find
 a  xlim

2
 x2 1   b  xlim

2
 x2 1 
2. Given
2 x x4
f  x   lim f ( x)
. Find x
2 x  3 x  4
4

3x  3 ;xk
f ( x)   2
3. If  x +5 ;xk
Determine the values of k if lim f ( x) exist.
x k

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LECTURE 3 OF 4

Infinite Limits
1 1
Consider the graph of f  x   2
, as x approaches 0, x2 also approaches 0, and 2 becomes
x x
very large.

x f  x
 1 1
 0.5 4
 0.1 100
 0.01 10 000
 0.001 1 000 000

1 From the graph our informal definition is

f  x 
x2 i)as x  a , f(x) increases without bound, then we
write lim f ( x)  
xa

ii) as x  a , f(x) increases without bound, then
we write lim f ( x)  
xa

a iii) Therefore lim f ( x)   (undefined)

xa

From the graph our informal definition is

i)as x  a , f(x) decreases without bound, then we
a write lim f ( x)  
xa

ii) as x  a , f(x) decreases without bound, then
we write lim f ( x)  
xa

iii) Therefore lim f ( x)   (undefined)

xa
From the graph our informal definition is
i)as x  a , f(x) increases without bound, then we
write lim f ( x)  
xa

ii) as x  a , f(x) decreases without bound, then
a we write lim f ( x)  
xa

iii) Therefore lim f ( x) does not exist.

xa

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Example 1
Find one sided limit
1 1
(a) lim (b) lim
x2 x2 x2 x2

Example 2
Find limit if exist
1
(a) lim
x1 x 1

1
(b) lim
2  x  2
x2 2

Limits At Infinity

y =L

1. (a) If x moves increasingly far away from the origin in the positive direction (i.e. x   )
and f(x) gets closer to L, then we write lim f ( x)  L
x
(b) If x moves increasingly far away from the origin in the negative direction (i.e. x   )
and f(x) gets closer to L, then we write lim f ( x)  L
x
(c) In case 1(a) and 1(b), L is known as the limit to infinity. L must be a real number.

2. If lim f ( x)   or lim f ( x)   , we say that the limit does not exist.

x x

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Limit at infinity for lim  f ( x)  g ( x) 

x 

Example 3
Find the limit
a  lim(ex  2) (b) lim 1  x 2
x x 

(c) lim (2  x)
x 

EXERCISE

1. Find the limits (if exist)

x3 x2  x  2
(a) lim (b) lim
x3 x  3 x 3 x2  2 x  3

2. Find
a   b lim  x 2  x  10  
3
lim ( x2  x 2 )
x x 

Limit at Infinity for Rational Function

1 1
lim
n
0 lim n  0
1. For n >0 , x x and x x

Example 4

Find lim f ( x) and lim f ( x) .

x x
1 3 5
(a) f ( x)  (b) f ( x)   3
x2 x 2
x

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f ( x) 
2. If lim  , then we will have to divide the numerator and denominator by the
x  g ( x) 
highest power of x of the denominator.

Note

: 
is an indeterminate form.

Example 5
Find
x2  1  x2 
 a  lim
x  2 x 2  1
 b  xlim  

 3x  1 

Example 6
Find limit if (exist)
x 1 x2  2
 a  xlim  b  lim

x2  1 x  3x  6

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3. For the function, if lim  f ( x)  g ( x)     (indeterminate form)

x
i) Multiply by the conjugate
ii) Divide the numerator and denominator by the highest power of x of the denominator.

Example 7

Find
lim
x 
 4x 2

 x  2x 

EXERCISE
Find
2 x3  x 2  3  x 
 a  lim
x  x 3  x  2
 b xlim  3x 2  1 

 

x2  1 x2  x  6
 c  xlim
 2 x 2  1
 d  xlim
 3 x

x 1
 e xlim  f  xlim
x2  2

x2  1  3x  6

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LECTURE 4 OF 4

Vertical Assymptote

f has a vertical asymptote x = a because x approaches the value a, f(x) gets large without limit.
Visually, the ordinate of the curve representing f becomes large without limit as the curve gets
closer to a line at x = a , never quite touching it.

Definition of Vertical Assymptote

A line x = a is a vertical asymptote of the graph of a function y = f(x) if either

lim f ( x)   ( or -  ) lim f ( x)   ( or -  )
x a  x a 
OR

Example 1

1
Find the vertical asymptote of f(x) 
x2

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Example 2

Determine the vertical asymptote of

x 3
a. f(x) 
x2
1
b. f(x)  2
x 1
2x
c. f(x)  2
x x2

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Horizontal Assymptote

A line y = b is a horizontal asymptote of the graph of a function y = f(x) if either

lim f ( x)  b ( The limit of f(x) as x approaches  , equals b )

x

lim f ( x)  b ( The limit of f(x) as x approaches -  , equals b )

x

For example, from the graph above, as x approaches  , g(x) approaches but never reaches value of 0 .
Using limit notation, we state

lim g ( x)  0
x 

Hence, g(x) has a horizontal of y = 0.

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Example 3

As x approaches -  , f(x) approaches but never reaches value of 4 .

Using limit notation, we state

lim f ( x) 
x

Hence, f(x) has a horizontal asymptote of y =

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Continuity

The Definition of Continuity

A function y = f (x) that can be graphed throughout its domain with one continuous motion of the
pen (that is, without lifting the pen) is an example of a continuous function.

Figure (i) and (ii) continuous since they can be drawn without lifting your pencil.

Figure (iii) and (iv) are not continuous because of the “ breaks” in the function.

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Definition of Continuity at a point

A function y = f(x) is continuous at point x=c if and only if it meets all three of the following
conditions.
(i) f( c) exists (f is defined at c)

(ii) exists (f has a limit as x c)

(iii) = f( c) (the limit equals the function value)

Continuity at an Interior Point

A function y = f(x) is continuous at an interior point c of its domain if

Continuity at an Endpoint
A function y = f(x) is continuous at a right endpoint a of its domain if

A function y = f(x) is continuous at a left endpoint b of its domain if

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Discontinuity at a Point

If a function f is not continuous at a point c, we say that f is discontinuous at c and or c is a

point of discontinuity of f.
Example 4

Discuss the continuity at point , .

Solution

Example 5

ax  5, x  1
Given that f(x)   2
 x 1 x  1

If f(x) is continuous for all values of x, find the values of the constant a.

Solution

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