菲律宾郊亚鄢南星學校

Nan Sing School of Cauayan City, Incorporated

Dalupang St., Cauayan City, Isabela, Philippines 3305
Telefax No. (078) 652-2040
School ID: 400424

MODULE 1
LIMIT AND CONTINUITY OF A FUNCTION

Time Allotment: 2 hours∨2 meetings(1 hour per meeting)

- illustrate the limit of a function using a table of values and

the graph of the function
Learning Outcomes

At the end of this -distinguish between limx→c f ( x ) and f(c)

lesson, you are expected
-illustrate the limit laws
to:
-apply the limit laws in evaluating the limit of algebraic
functions (polynomial, rational, and radical

FUNCTION

If A and B are two non-empty sets, then a rule which associates each element of A with a unique
element of B is called a function from a set A to a set B.

If f is a function from a set A to a set B, we represent it by ƒ:A→B

If f associates x ∈ A to y ∈ B, then we say that y is the image of the element x under the function or
mapping and we write y = ƒ(x).

Real Functions: Functions whose co-domain, is a subset of R are called real functions.

DOMAIN AND RANGE

ƒ: A → B
The set A is called the domain of the function and the set B is called co-domain.

The set of the images of all the elements under the mapping or function f is called the range of the
function f and represented by f(A).

The range of f or f(A) = {f(x) : x ∈ A} and ƒ(A) ⊆B

For example:

Consider a function f from the set of natural numbers

N to the set of natural numbers N
i.e. f : N →N given by f(x) = x2

Domain is the set N itself as the function is defined for all values of N.

Range is the set of squares of all natural numbers. Range = {1, 4, 9, 16 . . . }

- Catalyst of Change -
 菲律宾郊亚鄢南星學校
Nan Sing School of Cauayan City, Incorporated
Dalupang St., Cauayan City, Isabela, Philippines 3305 - Catalyst of Change -
Telefax No. (078) 652-2040
School ID: 400424

Example 1. Find the domain of the following functions:

x
(i) f (x)=√ 9−x 2 (ii) f ( x )= 2
x −3 x+ 2

So ution

(i). We have f ( x )= √ 9−x 2

The function f (x) is defined for
2 2
9−x ≥ 0 → x −9≤ 0 →−3 ≤ x ≤ 3 → x ∈[−3 , 3]

∴ Domainof f =[−3 , 3]

x
(ii). We have f ( x )= 2
x −3 x+ 2

The function f(x) is not defined for the values of x for which the denominator becomes
zero

i.e. x 2−3 x+ 2=0 → ( x−1 )( x−2 )=0 → x =1, 2

Hence, domain of f =R−{1 , 2}

Example 2. Find the range of the following functions:

(i) f(x)=x-3 ( ii ) f (x)=1+3 cos 2 x

So ution

(i) We have f (x)=x−3

f(x) is defined for all x ∈ R . ∴ Domain of f =R

|x−3|≥ 0 for all x ∈ R

⇒ 0 ≤∨x−3∨¿ ∞ for all x ∈ R

⇒ 0 ≤ f (x )<∞ for all x ∈ R Hence, range of f =¿

LIMIT OF A FUNCTION
Basic Calculus | Page 2 of 6
 菲律宾郊亚鄢南星學校
Nan Sing School of Cauayan City, Incorporated
Dalupang St., Cauayan City, Isabela, Philippines 3305 - Catalyst of Change -
Telefax No. (078) 652-2040
School ID: 400424

2
x −9
f ( x )= is defined for all x except at x=3
x−3

x −9 ( x−3 ) ( x+ 3 )
2
If x ≠ 3 , f ( x )= = =¿ ( x +3 )
x−3 x−3

As x approaches 3 from left hand side of the number line, f(x) increases and becomes close to 6

i.e. lim ¿
−¿
x→ 3 f ( x ) =6 ¿

Similarly, as x approaches 3 from right hand side of the number line, f(x) decreases and becomes close to
6

i.e. lim ¿
+¿
x→ 3 f ( x )= 6 ¿

Basic Calculus | Page 3 of 6

菲律宾郊亚鄢南星學校
Nan Sing School of Cauayan City, Incorporated
Dalupang St., Cauayan City, Isabela, Philippines 3305 - Catalyst of Change -
Telefax No. (078) 652-2040
School ID: 400424

Basic Calculus | Page 4 of 6

 菲律宾郊亚鄢南星學校
Nan Sing School of Cauayan City, Incorporated
Dalupang St., Cauayan City, Isabela, Philippines 3305 - Catalyst of Change -
Telefax No. (078) 652-2040
School ID: 400424

Algebraic Limits (Substitution Method)

The limit can be found directly by substituting the value of x.

Basic Calculus | Page 5 of 6

 菲律宾郊亚鄢南星學校
Nan Sing School of Cauayan City, Incorporated
Dalupang St., Cauayan City, Isabela, Philippines 3305 - Catalyst of Change -
Telefax No. (078) 652-2040
School ID: 400424

Algebraic Limits (Factorization Method)

0
When we substitute the value of x in the rational expression it takes the form .
0

Algebraic Limits (Rationalization Method)

0 ∞
When we substitute the value of x in the rational expression it takes the form , etc.
0 ∞

Basic Calculus | Page 6 of 6