CALCULUS is the Mathematics of Change

It is a numerical language that creates

mathematical models to solve problems dealing
with objects or things in motion.
The calculation of velocity and motion (Physics),
the concept of growth and decay (Biology), and
the calculation of marginal cost and marginal
revenue (Economics) are the some of the real-
life contexts where Calculus can be applied.
 determines the
possible location of moving objects as they
approach a certain place or location.

It is the backbone of Calculus.

The study of limits is necessary in studying

change in great detail. The evaluation of a
particular limit is what underlies the formulation
of the derivative and the integral of a function.
 L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
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 approach as x approaches c. In symbols,

lim f ( x)  L
we write this process as

x c
 L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
Limit of a function
as x approaches c from the left
is defined by lim f ( x)
x c

Limit of a function

is defined by lim f ( x)
x c
 L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
lim f ( x) lim f ( x)
x c x c
“TWO-SIDED” LIMIT

The limit of f(x) as x approaches c exists if

and only if the one-sided limits of
f(x) as x approaches from the right and
from the left both exist and are equal
 L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
Illustrating limits through TABLE OF VALUES

Consider lim(1  3 x)
x2

On the number line,

x may approach 2 in two ways:
through the values on its left and
through the values on its right.

*values to be chosen must be

close to 2
 L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
Illustrating limits through TABLE OF VALUES

Consider lim(1  3 x)
x2

On the number line,

x may approach 2 in two ways:
through the values on its left and
through the values on its right.

*values to be chosen must be

close to 2
lim (1  3 x) lim (1  3 x)
x2 x2
 L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
Observe that as the values of x get closer and closer to
2, the values of f(x) get closer and closer to 7.
This behavior can be shown no matter what set of
values, or what direction, is taken in approaching 2.

In symbols,

lim(1  3 x)  7
x2
lim(1  3 x)  7
x2
 L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
Investigate the limit of each function.
Create table of values of x on its left and
right. 1. lim ( x  1)
2

Graph. x  1

2. lim x
x 0

x  5x  4
2
3. lim
x 1 x 1
1. lim ( x  1)
2
x  1
2. lim x  0
x 0
 2
x  5x  4
3. lim  3
x 1 x 1
 L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
Investigate the limit of each function.
Create table of values of x on its left and
right.
Graph.
4. lim f ( x)
x 4
x  1 if x  4
if f ( x)  
( x  4) 2
 3 if x  4
L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
x  1 if x  4
4. lim f ( x) f ( x)  
( x  4)  3 if x  4
2
x 4
In this case, when x approaches
4
from the left, the values taken
should be substituted in f(x)= x
+1.
This is the part of the function
which accepts values less than
4.
So,
L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
x  1 if x  4
4. lim f ( x) f ( x)  
( x  4)  3 if x  4
2
x 4
On the other hand, when x
approaches 4 from the right, the
values taken should be
substituted in
f ( x)  ( x  4)
2

So,
L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
x  1 if x  4
4. lim f ( x) f ( x)  
( x  4)  3 if x  4
2
x 4
Observe that the values that f(x) approaches are not equal,
namely, f(x) approaches 5 from the left while it approaches
3 from the right. In such a case, we say that the limit of the
given function does not exist (DNE). In symbols,

lim f ( x) DNE
x 4
“DNE” indicates that the function moves in different
directions
lim f ( x) lim f ( x)
x4 x4
 4. lim f ( x)
x 4
x  1 if x  4
f ( x)  
( x  4) 2
 3 if x  4
 L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
Find the limits of the following functions.
x 4
2
1. lim
x2 x  2

2. lim( x  2 x  3)
2
x2
 x, x  2
3. lim f ( x) f (ifx)  
x2 3, x  2
 L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N

Investigate the limit of each function.

Create table of values of x on its left and
right.
Graph. 1
5. lim
x 0 x
 1
5. lim DNE
x 0 x
Reason:
As x approaches zero on its
right,
f(x) approaches positive
infinity.
As x approaches zero on its
left,
 L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
Graphical Inspection of Limits

1. lim f ( x)
x  2

2. lim f ( x)
x 0

3. lim f ( x)
x 3
1. lim f ( x)
x  2

2. lim f ( x)
x 0

3. lim f ( x)
x 3
 L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
Graphical Inspection of Limits

1. lim f ( x) f ( x)  1
x  2

2. lim f ( x)
x 0
f ( x )  3
3. lim f ( x) DNE
x 3
 L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
Graphical Inspection of Limits
Based on the graph, fill in the table
EXERCISES with the appropriate values.
 L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
Graphical Inspection of Limits
Based on the graph, fill in the table
EXERCISES with the appropriate values.

2 2
3.5 1
DNE 3
DNE 0
DNE 4
5 5
 L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
Graphical Inspection of Limits
EXERCISES
 L I M I T OF A F U N C T I O N
Graphical Inspection of Limits
EXERCISES

=1
DNE
= -1
DNE
=5
GREATEST INTEGER FUNCTION

f ( x)  x 
 GREATEST INTEGER FUNCTION
f ( x)  x 

x
is the greatest integer n such
that
 GREATEST INTEGER FUNCTION
Determine the limit of the following
greatest integer function.

1. lim x 
x 1
2. lim x 
x 1
3. limx 
x 1
 GREATEST INTEGER FUNCTION
Determine the limit of the following
greatest integer function.

1. lim x  1 2. lim x  1
x2 x2

3. limx  1
x2
 GREATEST INTEGER FUNCTION
Determine the limit of the following
greatest integer function.

4. lim x  1 5. lim x  1
x 0.5 x 0.5

6. lim x  1
x 0.5
 MORE EXERCISES
Determine the limit of the following function

Given:  x  5, x  3

A. f ( x )   9  x 2
, 3  x  3
3  x, x  3

 MORE EXERCISES
Determine the limit of the following function

limx  1
Given:

B.
x c