CHAPTER 2

Limits and Continuity

SECTION 2.1

1.

The function f (x) is graphed. lim f (x) =

x→0−

A. 0 B. 4 C. 2 D. undefined

2.

Answer true or false. For the function graphed lim f (x) is undefined.
x→2

x2 − 9 x2 − 9
3. Approximate the lim by evaluating f (x) = at x = 4, 3.5, 3.1, 3.01, 3.001, 2, 2.5,
x→3 x − 3 x−3
2.9, 2.99, and 2.999.
A. 6 B. −9 C. 0 D. −6

4. Answer true or false. If lim f (x) = 6 and lim f (x) = 6, then lim f (x) = 0.
x→0+ x→0− x→0

x x
5. Approximate the lim by evaluating f (x) = at appropriate values of x.
x→−6− x+6 x+6
A. 1 B. 0 C. ∞ D. −∞

5x 5x
6. Approximate the limit by evaluating f (x) = at appropriate values of x. lim− =
sin x x→0 sin x

1
A. 1 B. 5 C. D. ∞
5
sin x sin x
7. Approximate the limit by evaluating f (x) = at appropriate values of x. lim =
x x→0 x

A. 1 B. −1 C. 0 D. ∞
√
x+1−1
8. Approximate the limit by evaluating f (x) = at appropriate values of x.
√ x
x+1−1
lim =
x→0 − x
1
A. B. 0 C. ∞ D. −∞
2

1
2 True/False and Multiple Choice Questions

9. Use a graphing utility to approximate the y-coordinates of any horizontal asymptote of

6x − 8
y = f (x) = .
x+2
A. 6 B. 1 C. None exist. D. −4

10. Use a graphing utility to approximate the y-coordinate of any horizontal asymptote of
sin x
y = f (x) = .
x
A. 0 B. 1 C. −1 and 1 D. −1

11. Use a graphing utility to approximate the y-coordinate of any horizontal asymptote of
x3 + 5
y = f (x) = .
x−3
A. 0 B. None exist. C. 1 D. −1 and 1

x
5
12. Answer true or false. A graphing utility can be used to show f (x) = 1+ has a horizontal
x
asymptote.

2x
1
13. Answer true or false. A graphing utility can be used to show f (x) = 10 + has a horizontal
2x
asymptote.
 
4
4−x − 1
 
14. Answer true or false. lim is equivalent to lim−  x .
x→−∞ 3 + x x→0 3
+1
x

x3
15. Answer true or false. f (x) = has no horizontal asymptote.
x5 −2

5 − 2x
16. Approximate the horizontal asymptote of f (x) = .
3+x
A. It does not exist. B. y = 0 C. y = −2 D. y = 2

sin(8x)
17. lim =
x→0 sin(2x)

A. 4 B. 0 C. It does not exist. D. −4

Section 2.2 3

SECTION 2.2

1. Given that lim f (x) = 3 and lim g(x) = 5, find, if it exists, lim [2f (x) − 3g(x)]2 .
x→a x→a x→a

A. −81 B. 81
C. 9 D. It does not exist.

2. lim 5 =
x→3

A. 3 B. 5 C. 8 D. 15

3. Answer true or false. lim 9x = 18

x→2

x2 − 36
4. lim =
x→−6 x + 6

A. −∞ B. −12 C. 12 D. 1

10
5. lim =
x→−5 x+5
A. +∞ B. −∞
C. 0 D. It does not exist.

|3x|
6. Find lim+ f (x) where f (x) = .
x→0 x
A. 0 B. 3
C. −3 D. It does not exist.

x
7. lim =
x→5+ x−5
A. −∞ B. ∞
C. 0 D. It does not exist.

3
8. lim =
x→4− x−4
A. ∞ B. 0
C. It does not exist. D. −∞

3x − 2
9. lim =
x→6 x−6
A. ∞ B. 0
C. It does not exist. D. −∞
4 True/False and Multiple Choice Questions

10.

Use the graph of f (x) above. lim f (x) =

x→−1

A. 1 B. −1
C. It does not exist. D. 0

11.

Use the graph of f (x) above. lim f (x) =

x→1

A. 0 B. −1
C. It does not exist. D. 1

x3 , x≤2
12. Let f (x) = . lim f (x) =
x − 2, x > 2 x→2+

A. 8 B. 4
C. 0 D. It does not exist.

x3 − 3, x≤1
13. Let g(x) = 5
. lim g(x) =
x , x > 1 x→1

A. 5 B. 1
C. 3 D. It does not exist.

16 − x
14. lim √ =
x→16 x−4
A. 8 B. 0
C. −8 D. It does not exist.
√
x2 + 25 − 5 1
15. Answer true or false. lim = .
x→0+ x 4
Section 2.3 5

SECTION 2.3

6x2 − 6x + 5
1. Answer true or false. lim =0
x→+∞ 3x2 + 2x + 9

5x3 + 4x2 − 3x + 8
2. Answer true or false. lim = −5
x→−∞ x3 + 2
√
x2 + 9
3. Answer true or false. lim =2
x→+∞ x − 7

√
9x2 + 5
4. Answer true or false. lim = −3
x→−∞ x+3

1
5. Answer true or false. lim =0
x→−∞ 3x − 2

4x − 3
6. lim =
x→+∞ x4 − 3
A. 0 B. 3
C. 1 D. It does not exist.

4x3 − 2
7. lim =
x→−∞ x3
A. 4 B. −∞ C. ∞ D. −4

2x2
8. lim =
x→−1 x8 − 2x2 − x

A. +∞ B. −∞
C. 0 D. It does not exist.

x+5
9. lim √ =
x→9 x−3
A. +∞ B. −∞
C. 84 D. It does not exist.

20x10 − 2x5 + 2
10. lim =
x→−∞ 5x10 + x5 − 3
A. +∞ B. −∞
C. 2 D. It does not exist.

11. lim (x6 − 400x5 − x4 + x)

x→+∞

A. +∞ B. −∞
C. −500 D. It does not exist.
6 True/False and Multiple Choice Questions

√
3
x3
12. lim =
x→+∞ 3x
1
A. B. +∞ C. −∞ D. 0
3
√
3
27x3
13. lim =
x→+∞ 3x
A. 1 B. +∞ C. −∞ D. 0
√
x2 − 7 + 2
14. Answer true or false. lim does not exist.
x→+∞ x

18x3 + 5
15. lim =
x→−∞ 6x3 − 2

A. −3 B. 3 C. 0 D. 18
Section 2.4 7

SECTION 2.4

1. Find a least number δ such that |f (x) − L| < if 0 < |x − a| < δ. lim 10x = 50; = 0.1
x→5

A. 0.1 B. 0.01 C. 0.5 D. 0.025

2. Find a least number δ such that |f (x) − L| < if 0 < |x − a| < δ. lim 3x − 5 = 1; = 0.1
x→2

A. 0.033 B. 0.33 C. 3.0 D. 0.3

3. Answer true or false. It can be shown that if |f (x) − L| < when 0 < |x − a| < δ, |x2 − 9| < if
|x − 3| < δ for arbitrarily small positive .

x2 − 25
4. Find a least number δ such that |f (x) − L| < if 0 < |x − a| < δ. lim = −10; = 0.001
x→−5 x + 5

A. 0.001 B. 0.000001 C. 0.005 D. 0.025

100
5. Find a least positive number N such that |f (x) − L| < if x > N . lim = 0; = 0.1
x→+∞ x
A. N = 100 B. N = 1,000 C. N = 10 D. N = 10,000

10
6. Find a greatest negative number N such that |f (x) − L| < if x < N . lim = 0; = 0.1
x→−∞ x

A. N = −100,000 B. N = −10,000 C. N = −100 D. N = −10

1
7. Answer true or false. It is possible to prove that lim = 0.
x→+∞ x3 + 9

1
8. Answer true or false. It is possible to prove that lim = 0.
x→−∞ 4x + 16

3x
9. Answer true or false. It is possible to prove that lim = 0.
x→+∞ 5x + 2

1
10. Answer true or false. It is possible to prove that lim = +∞.
x→3 x2 −9

11. To prove that lim (x − 2) = 3 a reasonable relationship between δ and would be

x→5

√ 1
A. δ = 5 B. δ = C. δ = D. δ = .

1
12. Answer true or false. To use a δ- approach to show that lim = +∞, a reasonable first step
x→0+ x2
would be to change the limit to lim x2 = 0.
x→+∞

−1
13. Answer true or false. It is possible to show that lim = −∞.
x→4 |x − 4|

3x, x<3
14. To prove that lim f (x) = 9 where f (x) = a reasonable relationship between δ
x→3 x + 6, x ≥ 3
and would be
A. δ = 3 B. δ = C. δ = + 3 D. δ = 2 + 3.
8 True/False and Multiple Choice Questions

x
15. Answer true or false. It is possible to show that lim = 0.
x→0 5
√
16. If lim x + 3 = 5 and ε = 0.01, find a smallest positive number δ such that |f (x) − 5| < 0.01 if
x→4
0 < |x − 4| < δ.
A. 0.01 B. 0.5 C. 0.1 D. 0.04

17. If lim 10x = 40 and ε = 0.01, find a smallest positive number δ such that |f (x) − 40| < 0.01 if
x→4
0 < |x − 4| < δ.
A. 0.01 B. 0.1 C. 0.001 D. 0.0001
Section 2.5 9

SECTION 2.5

1.

On the interval of [−10, 10], where is f not continuous?

A. −2, 2 B. 2 C. −2 D. nowhere

2.

On the interval of [−10, 10], where is f not continuous?

A. 3 B. 0, 3 C. 0 D. nowhere

3. Answer true or false. f (x) = x7 − 2x5 + 3 has no point of discontinuity.

4. Answer true or false. f (x) = |x2 − 4| has points of discontinuity at x = −2 and x = 2.

x−5
5. Find the x-coordinates for all points of discontinuity for f (x) = .
x2 − 12x + 35
A. 5, 7 B. −7 C. 7 D. −5, −7

9x2 + 36
6. Find the x-coordinates for all points of discontinuity for f (x) = .
|3x + 6|
A. 0 B. 2 C. −2 D. −2, 2

x3 + 2, x ≤ 1
7. Find the x-coordinates for all points of discontinuity for f (x) = .
−5, x>1
√
3
√
3
A. 1 B. 2 C. 1, 2 D. None exists.

8. Find the value of k, if possible, that will make the function continuous.
x + 2k, x≤1
f (x) =
kx2 + x + 1, x>1

A. 1 B. −1 C. 2 D. None exists.

x+5
9. Answer true or false. The function f (x) = has a removable discontinuity at x = 1.
x−1

x3 , x≤2
10. Answer true or false. The function f (x) = 2
is continuous everywhere.
x + 4, x > 2
10 True/False and Multiple Choice Questions

11. Answer true or false. If f and g are each continuous at c, f /g may be discontinuous at c.

12. Answer true or false. The Intermediate-Value Theorem can be used to approximate the locations
−3x3 + 2x + 1
of all discontinuities for f (x) = .
x

13. Answer true or false. f (x) = x2 − 3x + 1 = 0 has at least one solution on the interval [−1, 0].

14. Answer true or false. f (x) = x4 − 2x2 + 3 = 0 has at least one solution on the interval [0, 1].
√ √
15. Use the fact that 4
8 is a solution of x4 − 8 = 0 to approximate 4
8 with an error of at most 0.005.
A. 1.65 B. 1.66 C. 1.68 D. 1.69

2x − 5, if x ≤ 2
16. f (x) = . Find the value for the constant k that will make the function con-
kx + 3, if x > 2
tinuous everywhere.
A. −2 B. 0 C. 2 D. −1

x2 − 2, if x ≤ 0
17. f (x) = . Find the value for the constant k that will make the function con-
3x + k, if x > 0
tinuous everywhere.
A. 2 B. −2 C. 0 D. 1
Section 2.6 11

SECTION 2.6

1. Answer true or false. f (x) = tan(x2 − 3) has no point of discontinuity.

1
2. A point of discontinuity of f (x) = is at
|0.5 − sin x|
π π π π
A. B. C. D. .
2 3 4 6




4 5
3. Find the limit. lim cos sin =
x→+∞ x x
A. 0 B. 1 C. −1 D. +∞

sin3 x
4. Find the limit. lim =
x→0− x3
A. +∞ B. 0 C. 1 D. −∞

sin(7x)
5. Find the limit. lim =
x→0 sin(9x)

7
A. +∞ B. 0 C. D. 1
9
1 − cos x
6. Find the limit. lim =
x→0 6
1
A. 1 B. C. 3 D. 0
6
sin2 x
7. Find the limit. lim =
x→0 tan2 x

A. +∞ B. 1 C. −∞ D. 0

sin x
8. Find the limit. lim =
x→0 sin(−x)
A. −1 B. 1 C. +∞ D. −∞

1
9. Find the limit. lim− tan =
x→0 x
A. 1 B. −1
C. −∞ D. does not exist

x2
10. Find the limit. lim =
x→0 sin x

A. 0 B. 1 C. −1 D. +∞

sin x
, x≤0
11. Answer true or false. The value of k that makes f continuous for f (x) x is 0.
cos x + k, x > 0
12 True/False and Multiple Choice Questions

sin x sin2 x
12. Answer true or false. The fact that lim = 1 and that lim = 1 guarantees that
x→0 x x→0 x2
sin2 x
lim = 1 by the Squeeze Theorem.
x→0 x

13. Answer true or false. The Squeeze Theorem can be used to show lim x + 1 = 1 utilizing lim x = 0
x→0 x→0
and lim 1 = 1.
x→0

14. Answer true or false. The Intermediate-Value Theorem can be used to show that the equation
y 5 = cos x has at least one solution on the interval [−5π/6, 5π/6].


sin x x
15. lim +2 =
x→0 3x 3 sin x
1
A. 1 B. 2 C. D. 0
2
1
16. Find all points of discontinuity, if any, for f (x) = .
5 − 2 sin x
A. x = 2 B. x = π
C. x = 0 D. None exist.

sin 4x
17. lim =
x→0 x
A. 0 B. 1
C. 4 D. It does not exist.
Chapter 2 Test 13

CHAPTER 2 TEST

1.

The function f is graphed. lim f (x) =

x→−2

A. 2 B. −2 C. 0 D. undefined

x2 − 49 x2 − 49
2. Approximate lim by evaluating f (x) = at x = −6, −6.5, −6.9, −6.99, −6.999,
x→−7 x + 7 x+7
−7, −7.5, −7.1, −7.01, and −7.001.
A. 7 B. −7 C. 14 D. −14

3. Use a graphing utility to approximate the y-coordinate of the horizontal asymptote of

10x + 3
y = f (x) = .
2x − 5
3 3
A. 5 B. C. − D. −5
5 5

3x
3
4. Answer true or false. A graphing utility can be used to show that f (x) = 12 + has a
3x
horizontal asymptote.

5 x4
5. Answer true or false. lim is equivalent to lim .
x→−∞ x4 x→0− 5

6. Given that lim f (x) = 5 and lim g(x) = −5, find lim [6f 2 (x) − g(x)].
x→a x→a x→a

A. 0 B. 150 C. 155 D. 145

7. lim 7 =
x→6

A. 1 B. −1 C. 7 D. Does not exist

x
8. lim =
x→3 x − 3

A. 1 B. 0 C. +∞ D. Does not exist

√
x, x ≤ 1
9. Let f (x) = √ . lim f (x) =
3
x, x > 1 x→1

A. 1 B. −1 C. 0 D. Does not exist

10. Find a least number δ such that |f (x) − L| < if 0 < |x − a| < δ. lim 2x = 20; < 0.01
x→10

A. 0.01 B. 0.005 C. 0.05 D. 0.0025

14 True/False and Multiple Choice Questions

x2 − 81
11. Find a least number δ such that |f (x) − L| < if 0 < |x − a| < δ. lim = −18; < 0.001
x→−9 x + 9

A. 0.001 B. 0.000001 C. 0.006 D. 0.03

1
12. Answer true or false. It is possible to prove that lim = 0.
x→−∞ x7 + 2

13. To prove lim (7x + 2) = 16, a reasonable relationship between δ and would be
x→2

A. δ = B. δ = 7 C. δ = D. δ = − 7.
7
14. Answer true or false. It is possible to show that lim (x2 + 2) = 2.
x→+∞

x−3
15. Find the x-coordinate of each point of discontinuity of f (x) = .
x2 + 5x − 24
A. 3 B. −3, 8 C. −8, 3 D. −3, −8

1
16. Answer true or false. f (x) = has a removable discontinuity at x = 2.
x2 − 4

17. Answer true or false. f (x) = x2 − 3 = 0 has at least one solution on the interval [1, 4].

sin(2x)
18. Find lim .
x→0 sin(−5x)
2 5
A. 0 B. − C. − D. not defined
5 2
sin3 x
19. Find lim .
x→0 tan2 x

A. 0 B. −1 C. 1 D. undefined

1 − cos x
20. Answer true or false. lim =0
x→0 sin x
 SOLUTIONS

SECTION 2.1
1. B 2. F 3. A 4. T 5. C 6. B 7. A 8. A 9. A 10. A 11. B 12. T
13. F 14. T 15. F 16. C 17. A

SECTION 2.2
1. C 2. B 3. T 4. B 5. D 6. B 7. B 8. D 9. C 10. C 11. D 12. C
13. D 14. C 15. F

SECTION 2.3
1. F 2. F 3. F 4. T 5. T 6. A 7. A 8. A 9. C 10. C 11. A 12. A
13. A 14. F 15. B

SECTION 2.4
1. B 2. A 3. T 4. A 5. B 6. C 7. T 8. T 9. F 10. F 11. B 12. T
13. T 14. B 15. T 16. D 17. C

SECTION 2.5
1. A 2. A 3. T 4. F 5. A 6. C 7. A 8. A 9. F 10. T 11. T 12. T
13. T 14. F 15. C 16. A 17. B

SECTION 2.6
1. F 2. D 3. A 4. C 5. C 6. B 7. A 8. A 9. D 10. A 11. F 12. F
13. F 14. F 15. A 16. D 17. C

CHAPTER 2 TEST
1. D 2. D 3. A 4. F 5. F 6. C 7. C 8. D 9. A 10. B 11. A 12. T
13. A 14. F 15. C 16. F 17. T 18. B 19. A 20. T

15