Chapter 4 – Continuity of Functions

Section 4.1: Continuity of functions of one variable

• A function that is not continuous is called discontinuous

• A function f defined on an open interval that contains 𝑥 = 𝑎 is said to be

continuous at 𝑥 = 𝑎 if and only if

lim 𝑓 (𝑥 ) = lim" 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑎)

!→#! !→#
Example:
&
(a) 𝑓 (𝑥 ) = 𝑥 $ − 2𝑥 % + 1; 𝑥 = %

1; 𝑥 ≤ 0
(b) 𝑓(𝑥) = .
−1; 𝑥 > 0

lim 𝑓(𝑥) = ±∞
!→#"
• 𝑥 = 𝑎 is said to be a vertical asymptote if 4
lim 𝑓(𝑥) = ±∞
!→#!

Example:
&
𝑓 (𝑥 ) = !'&
Theorem: If f and g are continuous and 𝑐 ≠ 0, then all of these are also
continuous.
𝑐𝑓(𝑥)
⎧ 𝑓(𝑥) ± 𝑐
⎪
⎪ 𝑓(𝑥) ± 𝑔(𝑥)
𝑓(𝑥) ∗ 𝑔(𝑥)
⎨𝑓(𝑥)
⎪ ; 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑔(𝑥) ≠ 0
⎪𝑔 ( 𝑥 )
⎩ 𝑓 '& (𝑥); 𝑖𝑓 𝑖𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑠

Note: Let f be defined over [𝑎, 𝑏]; then:

• f is continuous from the right at 𝑥 = 𝑎 if lim" 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑎)
!→#

• f is continuous from the left at 𝑥 = 𝑏 if lim! 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑏)

!→(

lim" 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑎)

• if f is continuous over (𝑎, 𝑏) and 4!→# ; then f is continuous
lim! 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑏)
!→(
over [𝑎, 𝑏]
Section 4.2: Economic Applications

Example: Salary schedule with bonus payment

Consider a contract with the following terms:

𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑐 𝑠𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑦 = $800
4 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 10%
𝑏𝑜𝑛𝑢𝑠 = $500 𝑖𝑓 𝑠𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑠 ≥ $20,000

Given that the sales amount is S, model the salary schedule.