CONTINUITY

Learning Objectives
1. illustrate continuity of a function at a number
2. determine whether a function is continuous at a number or
not
3. illustrate different types of discontinuity (e.g.,
hole/removable, jump/essential, and asymptotic/infinite)
 Continuity at a Number

A function f is said to be continuous at a if the following three

conditions are satisfied:

1. f(a) exists
2. lim 𝑓(𝑥) exists
𝑥→𝑎
3. lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑎)
𝑥→𝑎
 𝐴 𝑥 = 𝑥2
lim 𝐴(𝑥) = 0 A is continuous at 0
𝑥→0

𝐵 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 , if 𝑥 ≠ 0
B is undefined at 0 B is not continuous at 0
𝑥 2 , if 𝑥 ≠ 0
𝐶 𝑥 =ቊ
1, if 𝑥 = 0
C is not continuous at 0
𝑥 2 , if 𝑥 ≤ 0
𝐷 𝑥 =ቊ
1, if 𝑥 > 0
D is not continuous at 0

𝑥 2 , if 𝑥 ≤ 0
𝐸 𝑥 =ቊ
𝑥, if 𝑥 > 0
lim 𝐸(𝑥) = 0 E is continuous at 0
𝑥→0
 Continuity of Sums, Differences, Products, and Quotients
If f and g are continuous at a,
then the following are also continuous at a:
1. 𝑓 + 𝑔
2. 𝑓 − 𝑔
3. 𝑓𝑔
𝑓
4. , if 𝑔(𝑎) ≠ 0
𝑔

Continuity of Polynomial and Rational Functions

Polynomial and rational functions are continuous at all numbers
in their domains.
 Continuity of Compositions
If g is continuous at a and f is continuous at g(a),
then f o g is continuous at a.

Continuity of Powers and Roots of Functions

If f is continuous at a, then
1. 𝑓 𝑛 is continuous at a for any 𝑛 ∈ ℕ
2. 𝑛 𝑓 is continuous at a, if 𝑛 ∈ ℕ and n is odd
𝑛
3. 𝑓 is continuous at a, if 𝑛 ∈ ℕ, n is even,
and 𝑓 𝑎 > 0
 Continuity of Exponential Functions
If b > 0 and b ≠ 1, then the function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑏 𝑥
is continuous at any real number a.

Find all numbers at which f is continuous: 𝑓 𝑥 = 1 + 𝑒 𝑥

The condition for continuity at a is 1 + 𝑒 2 > 0

𝑒 𝑎 > 0 for any 𝑎 ∈ ℝ
so 𝑒 𝑎 + 1 > 1 > 0 for any real a

f is continuous at any real number

 Continuity of Circular Functions
The six circular functions are continuous at any number in their
domain.

tan 𝑥
Find all numbers at which f is continuous: 𝑓 𝑥 =
𝑥

f is discontinuous at 0
sin 𝑥
tan 𝑥 =
cos 𝑥
𝜋
cos 𝑥 ≠ 0 𝑥 ≠ + 𝑘𝜋 ,𝑘 ∈ℤ
2

f is continuous at all numbers

𝝅
except 0 and those of the form + 𝒌𝝅 , 𝒌 ∈ ℤ
𝟐
Discontinuity
 Continuity of the Absolute-Value Function
The absolute-value function is continuous
at every real number.

Continuity of the Greatest-Integer Function

The greatest-integer function is continuous precisely at the
numbers a ∉ ℤ.