BASIC CALCULUS

LIMITS AND CONTINUITY

DERIVATIVES
INTEGRATION
TOPIC 1.1 THE LIMIT OF A FUCTION

Consider a function f of a single variable x. consider a

constant c which the variable x will approach (c may or
may not be in the domain of f) .

the limit, to be denoted by L, is the unique real value that

f(x) will approaches c. in symbols, we write this process
as
lim 𝑓 𝒙 = 𝑳
𝑥→𝑐

The limit of f(x), as x approaches c is L

 LOOKING AT A TABLE OF VALUES
Let us consider, lim 𝑓 𝟏 + 𝟑𝒙
𝑥→𝟐
In a number line, x may approach 2 in two ways.
Through the values on its left and through values
on its right.
Let us consider, lim 𝑓 𝟏 + 𝟑𝒙
𝑥→𝟐
now we consider approaching 2 now we consider approaching 2
from its left or through the values from its right or through values
less than but close to 2. greater than but close to 2.
Let us consider, lim 𝑓 𝟏 + 𝟑𝒙
𝑥→𝟐
now we consider approaching 2 now we consider approaching 2
from its left or through the values from its right or through values
less than but close to 2. greater than but close to 2.

lim 𝑓 𝟏 + 𝟑𝒙 = 𝟕
𝑥→𝟐
 Let us consider, lim 𝑓 𝟏 + 𝟑𝒙
𝑥→𝟐
lim 𝑓 𝟏 + 𝟑𝒙 lim 𝑓 𝟏 + 𝟑𝒙
𝑥→𝟐− 𝑥→2+
 EXAMPLE 1
Let us consider, 𝟐
lim 𝑓 𝒙 + 𝟏
𝑥→−𝟏

by constructing tables of values.

Here, c = -1and f(x) = 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏.
Let us consider, lim 𝑓 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏
𝑥→−𝟏
now we consider approaching -1 now we consider approaching -1
from its left or through the values from its right or through values
less than but close to -1. greater than but close to -1.
Let us consider, lim 𝑓 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏
𝑥→−𝟏
now we consider approaching -1 now we consider approaching -1
from its left or through the values from its right or through values
less than but close to -1. greater than but close to -1.

lim 𝑓 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏 =2
𝑥→−𝟏
 Let us consider, lim 𝑓 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏
𝑥→−𝟏

lim 𝑓 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏 lim 𝑓 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏
𝑥→−𝟏 𝑥→−𝟏
 EXAMPLE 2
Let us consider, lim |𝒙|
𝑥→𝟎

by constructing tables of values.

Let us consider, lim |𝑥|
𝑥→𝟎
now we consider approaching 0 now we consider approaching 0
from its left or through the values from its right or through values
less than but close to 0. greater than but close to 0.

x |x| x |x|
- 0.3 1.0.3 0.3 5. 0.3
- 0.01 2. 0.01 0.01 6. 0.01
- 0.00009 3. 0.00009 0.00009 7. 0.00009
- 0.00000001 4. 0.00000001 0.00000001 8. 0.00000001

lim 𝑥 = 0
𝑥→𝟎
Let us consider, lim |𝑥|
𝑥→𝟎
now we consider approaching 0 now we consider approaching 0
from its left or through the values from its right or through values
less than but close to 0. greater than but close to 0.

x |x| x |x|
- 0.3 1.0.3 0.3 5. 0.3
- 0.01 2. 0.01 0.01 6. 0.01
- 0.00009 3. 0.00009 0.00009 7. 0.00009
- 0.00000001 4. 0.00000001 0.00000001 8. 0.00000001

lim 𝑥 = 0
𝑥→𝟎
 Let us consider, lim |𝑥|
𝑥→𝟎
lim− |𝑥|
𝑥→𝟎
x |x|
- 0.3 1.0.3
- 0.01 2. 0.01
- 0.00009 3. 0.00009
- 0.00000001 4. 0.00000001

lim+ |𝑥|
𝑥→𝟎
x |x|
0.3 5. 0.3
0.01 6. 0.01
0.00009 7. 0.00009
0.00000001 8. 0.00000001
 EXAMPLE 3
Let us consider, 𝟐
𝒙 − 𝟓𝒙 + 𝟒
lim
𝑥→𝟏 𝒙 −𝟏
by constructing tables of values.
c=1
𝒙𝟐 −𝟓𝒙+𝟒
f(x) =
𝒙 −𝟏
Let us consider, 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟓𝒙 + 𝟒
lim
𝑥→𝟏 𝒙 −𝟏

𝒄=𝟏
𝒙𝟐 − 𝟓𝒙 + 𝟒
𝒇(𝒙) =
𝒙 −𝟏
(𝒙 − 𝟏)(𝒙 − 𝟒)
=
𝒙 −𝟏
𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒙 − 𝟒
Let us consider, 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟓𝒙 + 𝟒
lim
𝑥→𝟏 𝒙 −𝟏
now we consider approaching 1 now we consider approaching 1
from its left or through the values from its right or through values
less than but close to 1. greater than but close to 1.
Let us consider, 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟓𝒙 + 𝟒
lim
𝑥→𝟏 𝒙 −𝟏
now we consider approaching 1 now we consider approaching 1
from its left or through the values from its right or through values
less than but close to 1. greater than but close to 1.

𝒙𝟐 − 𝟓𝒙 + 𝟒
lim = −𝟑
𝑥→𝟏 𝒙 −𝟏
 Let us consider, 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟓𝒙 + 𝟒
lim
𝑥→𝟏 𝒙 −𝟏
𝒙𝟐 − 𝟓𝒙 + 𝟒 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟓𝒙 + 𝟒
lim− lim+
𝑥→𝟏 𝒙 −𝟏 𝑥→𝟏 𝒙 −𝟏
 EXAMPLE 4
Investigate through a table of values

lim 𝑓 𝒙
𝑥→𝟒

𝑥+1 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 < 4
If 𝑓 𝑥 = { (𝑥 − 4)2 +3 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 ≥ 4
In this case, when x approaches On the other hand, when x
4 from the left, the values taken approaches 4 from the right, the
should be substituted if f(x) = values taken should be
x+1 substituted in f(x) = (x-4)2 + 3. so,
In this case, when x approaches On the other hand, when x
4 from the left, the values taken approaches 4 from the right, the
should be substituted if f(x) = values taken should be
x+1 substituted in f(x) = (x-4)2 + 3. so,

lim 𝑓 𝒙 𝑫𝑵𝑬
𝑥→𝟒
lim− 𝑥 + 1 lim+ (𝑥 − 4)2 +3
𝑥→𝟒 𝑥→𝟒
NOTE TO REMEMBER
We do not say that lim 𝑓 𝒙 “equals DNE”,
𝑥→𝟒
nor do we write “ lim 𝑓 𝒙 = 𝑫𝑵𝑬
𝑥→𝟒
because “DNE” is not a value.
NOTE TO REMEMBER
If x approaches c from the left, or through the values
less than c, then we write lim 𝑓 𝒙
𝑥→𝒄−
If x approaches c from the right or through values
greater than c, then we write
lim+ 𝑓 𝒙
𝑥→𝒄
Further more, we say
lim 𝑓 𝒙 = 𝑳
𝑥→𝒄
if and only if lim+ 𝑓 𝒙 = 𝑳
lim− 𝑓 𝒙 = 𝑳 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥→𝒄
𝑥→𝒄
 NOTE TO REMEMBER
In other words, for a limit L to exist, the limits from
the left and from the right must both exist and
equal to L.
therefore 𝑥→𝒄
lim𝒄 𝑓 𝒙 𝑫𝑵𝑬 whenever lim 𝑓 𝒙 ≠ lim 𝑓 𝒙
𝑥→𝒄− 𝑥→𝒄+
 NOTE TO REMEMBER

These limits, lim− 𝑓 𝒙

𝑥→𝒄
𝒂𝒏𝒅 lim+ 𝑓 𝒙
𝑥→𝒄

are also referred to as one-sided limits, since you

only consider values on one side of c.
 NOTE TO REMEMBER
Thus we may say:
• lim 𝟏 + 𝟑𝒙 = 𝟕 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆
𝑥→𝟐
lim− 𝑓 𝟏 + 𝟑𝒙 = 𝟕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 lim+ 𝑓 𝟏 + 𝟑𝒙 = 𝟕
𝑥→𝟐 𝑥→𝟐

• lim 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏 = 𝟐 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆
𝑥→−𝟏
lim − 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏 = 𝟐 𝒂𝒏𝒅 lim + 𝑓 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏 = 𝟐
𝑥→−𝟏 𝑥→−𝟏
 NOTE TO REMEMBER
Thus we may say:

𝒙𝟐 −𝟓𝒙+𝟒
• lim = −𝟑 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆
𝑥→𝟏 𝒙−𝟏

𝒙𝟐 − 𝟓𝒙 + 𝟒 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟓𝒙 + 𝟒
lim = −𝟑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 lim+ 𝑓 = −𝟑
𝑥→𝟏− 𝒙−𝟏 𝑥→𝟏 𝒙−𝟏
𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥)
Determine the Limits of the
following.

1. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑓(𝑥) =1
𝑥→−2

2. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑓(𝑥) =3
𝑥→0

3. 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑓(𝑥) DNE

𝑥→3