SMA 1117: CALCULUS 1

LIMITS
• Consider the function f  x 

• We wish to consider the behavior of f  x  as the point x approaches a

• If f  x  approaches a particular finite value C as x approaches a ,
• then we say that the function f  x  has the limit C as x approaches a

• C is called the limiting value of the the function f  x 

Written as
Lim f  x   C
xa
 LIMITS

f  x

x  a

Lim f  x   C
xa

• NB: A limit exists if we can get the real value of C

TECHNIQUES OF EVALUATING LIMITS

• Methods of evaluation
1. Direct substitution
2. Factorization method
3. Rationalization method
4. L’ Hospital rule
• Direct Substitution Method

1. lim
x2
 3x  4   3  2  4  2 Lim f  x   C
xa

2. xlim
1
 x  5   1  5  6
2 2

 x  4x  3   4  4  4  3
2 2

3. lim  
x4
 x6  46
3

2

4. 
lim x 3  8
x 3

• Factorization
1st factorize the evaluate

Lim f  x   C
xa
x2  x x  x  1
1. lim  lim  1
x 0 x x 0 x

x 2  3x  2
 lim
 x  2  x  1
2. lim
x 2 x2 x 2 x2
 lim  x  1  1
x 2
  x 1   x 1 
• 3. lim  2   xlim  
 x  4x  5    x  1 x  5  
x 1 1

 1  1
 lim  
x 1   x  5  
  6
1

6

x 4 2
 x 3 
• 4. lim
x2 x  2
5. lim  2 
x 3
 x  4x  3 
• Rationalization
1st rationalize the surd

Lim f  x   C
lim
1 x
 lim

1  x  1  x  xa

  
1.
x 1 1  x x1 1  x 1  x

1  x  1  x 
 lim
x 1 1  x 


 lim 1  x  2
x 1

 lim
2 x
 lim

2 x 2 x 
 
2.
x4 4  x x4
4  x 2  x

 lim
 4  x
x4
4  x2  x 
 1  1
 lim   4
x4  2  x
 x 1
3. lim
x 1 x 1
CONTINUITY OF A FUNCTION
We talk of continuity of a function f  x  at a given point say x  a

3 conditions to be satisfied

1. function is defined at x  a i. e f  a  is real

2. limit exists lim f  x   C

xa

3. lim f  x   f  a   C
xa

From a graph a function which is continuous will have a smooth

continuous curve (or line) with no jumps
• f  x   x4  2x  1 Is continuous at all points

2x 1
• f  x  Is continuous at all points except when x  0
x

1
• f  x  2 Is continuous at all points except when x  1 or 4
x  5x  4

3 x
• f  x 
x  x  2
Discontinuity
• Points at which a function is not continuous are called points of
discontinuity

• If one or more of the 3 conditions are not met.

1
• Eg f  x   is not continuous at x  1
1 x

1 1
• NB a 1  f a   which is not defined
1 1 0
Removable Discontinuity
x2  x
• Given f  x 
x
It has a discontinuity at x  0

But we may write

x 2  x x  x  1
f  x    x 1
x x
which is now continuous at x  0

We say x  0 is a removable discontinuity

 x2
At what points is the function f  x   2
x  5x  6
discontinuous? Which ones are removable?
We factorize the denominator

f  x  2
x2

 x  2
it is discontinuous at x  2 and 3
x  5 x  6  x  2  x  3

but
f  x  2
x2

 x  2
x  5 x  6  x  2  x  3
1

 x  3
so x  2 Is a removable discontinuity
 x2  2 x  1
At what points is the function f  x   2
x  2x  3
• Discontinuous?
• Which ones are removable?
• Factorize denominator

x 2  2 x  1  x  1 x  1
f  x  2 
x  2 x  3  x  1 x  3
x 1

 x  3
Differentiability
We say a function is differentiable if it is continuous
That means also that its limit exists

To differentiate a function we say

Find its differentiation or simply differentiate
Find its derivative
Find its gradient function
Denotations
Given y  f  x
The derivative or gradient function of f  x  is denoted by
dy
or y  y prime  or f   x  f prime of x 
dx

By definition derivative of f  x  given by

f  x  h  f  x
f   x   lim
xh h

Where h is a small increment in x

• Geometric illustration

y  f  x
Q1

Q2
Q

As Q tends to P, grad of
Q3 PQ tends to grad of
curve at point P
NB as Q tends to P, h
P
tends to zero
x h xh
tangent line
 P  x, f  x   and Q  x  h, f  x  h  

change in y
grad PQ 
change in x
f  x  h  f  x f  x  h  f  x
 
 x  h  x h

Grad of curve at P tends to grad of chord PQ as h  0

• Grad at P is the limiting value of the grad of PQ

f  x  h  f  x
Grad of P  lim
h 0 h
 f  x  h  f  x
or f   x   lim
h 0 h

to find f  x  h

f  x  x  4 f  x   x3  6 x
f  x  h   x  h  4 f  x  h   x  h  6 x  h
3

1
f  x   3x f  x 
2 x
1
f  x  h  3 x  h f  x 
2   x  h
 f  x  h  f  x
f   x   lim
h 0 h

• Is called the definition of a derivative

• When we use it to get the gradient function we may also say we are
differentiating or getting gradient function from first principles
Example 1
• Find the gradient function of the curve whose equation is f  x   5 x
f  x   5x and f  x  h  5 x  h
f  x  h  f  x
f   x   lim
h 0 h
5  x  h   5x
 lim
h 0 h
5 x  5h  5 x
 lim
h 0 h
5h
 lim
h 0 h

 lim 5  5
h 0

 f  x  5
Example 2
• Use first principles to find the gradient function of f  x   3  7 x
f  x  3  7x and f  x  h  3  7  x  h
f  x  h  f  x
f   x   lim
h 0 h
3  7  x  h  3  7 x 
 lim
h 0 h
3  7 x  7h  3  7 x
 lim
h 0 h
7 h
 lim
h 0 h

 lim  7   7
h 0

 f   x   7
Example 3
• Use definition of a derivative to find the gradient function of f  x   x 2  4
f  x  x  4 f  x  h   x  h  4
2 2
and
f  x  h  f  x
f   x   lim
h 0 h
 x  h  4   x2  4
2

 lim
h 0 h
x 2  2 xh  h 2  4   x 2  4 
 lim
h 0 h
2 xh  h 2
 lim
h 0 h
 lim  2 x  h   2 x
h 0

 f   x   2x
Exercise
Use first principles to find the gradient function of

1. f  x  6  x

2. f  x   x3  2 x

3. f  x   x  x4
f  x  6  x and f  x  h  6   x  h
f  x  h  f  x
f   x   lim
h 0 h
6   x  h  6  x
 lim
h 0 h
6 xh6 x
 lim
h 0 h
 h 
 lim  
h 0
 h 
 lim  1  1
h 0

 f   x   1
 f  x   x3  2 x f  x  h   x  h  2 x  h
3
and
•.
f  x  h  f  x
f   x   lim
h 0 h
 x  h   2  x  h    x3  2 x 
3

 lim
h 0 h

x 3  3 x 2 h  3 xh 2  h3  2 x  2h  x 3  2 x
 lim Q
h 0 h

3 x 2 h  3 xh 2  h3  2h
 lim
h 0 h

 lim 3 x 2  3 xh  h 2  2   3 x 2  2
h 0

 f   x   3x 2  2
 f  x   x  x4 f  x  h   x  h   x  h
4
and
•.
f  x  h  f  x
f   x   lim
h 0 h
 x  h   x  h   x  x4 
4

 lim
h 0 h

x  h   x 4  4 x 3h  6 x 2 h 2  4 xh3  h 4   x  x 4
 lim Q
h 0 h

h  4 x 3 h  6 x 2 h 2  4 xh3  h 4
 lim
h 0 h

 lim 1  4 x 3  6 x 2 h  4 xh 2  h3   1  4 x 3
h 0

 f   x   1  4 x3