Discontinuities

Learning Target:
● Illustrate the different types of discontinuity, such as
hole/removable, jump, and essential/infinite.
 Types of Discontinuity
Suppose that is a function defined on the open interval except possibly
at the number contained in . If is not continuous at , then f is said to
have a discontinuity.

A discontinuity at c is called removable if f can be made continuous by

appropriately defining (or redefining) 􏰁.

A discontinuity at is nonremovable if the function cannot be made

continuous at by defining or redefining the function at
.
 Removable Discontinuity
A removable discontinuity occurs when the graph of a function has a hole.

Example:

𝑦 =𝑥+1

To make f(x) continuous, you could redefine it as:

{
( 𝑥+ 2)( 𝑥+1)
𝑓 ( 𝑥 )= , 𝑥 ≠ −1
𝑥+ 1
1 , 𝑥=− 1
 Nonremovable Discontinuity
A nonremovable discontinuity exists when the function cannot be
redefined at x = c to make the function continuous. These are usually the
functions wherein the limit at c does not exist.

A jump discontinuity occurs when a function has An essential discontinuity or infinite

two ends that don’t meet, even if the hole is filled in discontinuity occurs when a function has a
at one of the ends. In order to satisfy the vertical line vertical asymptote on one or both sides. This
test and make sure the graph is truly that of a is shown in the graph of the function below
function, only one of the end points may be filled. at x=1:
 1. Identify the discontinuity of the function algebraically and then graph the
function:

Solution:

The factor x−1 can be removed or canceled in

both the numerator and the denominator to
result in f(x)=(x−2)(x+2). Because x−1 was
canceled, there is a removable discontinuity or
hole at x=1.

The graph will resemble y=(x−2)(x+2) with a

hole at x=1, so graph y=(x−2)(x+2) as
usual and then insert a hole in the appropriate
spot at the end:
2. Identify the discontinuity of the function below:

Since there is a vertical asymptote at x=1, this is an infinite discontinuity. 

3. Describe the discontinuities of the function below:

There is a jump discontinuity at x=−1 and an infinite discontinuity at x=2.

4. Describe the discontinuities of the function below:

There are jump discontinuities at x=−2 and x=4.

There is a removable discontinuity at x=2.
There is an infinite discontinuity at x=0.
Determine if each function is continuous. If the
function is not continuous, find its [x]-axis
location and classify each discontinuity.

1.

Removable discontinuity at x = 2
Determine if each function is continuous. If the
function is not continuous, find its [x]-axis
location and classify each discontinuity.

2.

Jump discontinuity at x = -2
Determine if each function is continuous. If the
function is not continuous, find its [x]-axis
location and classify each discontinuity.

3.

Removable discontinuity at x = -2
Determine if each function is continuous. If the
function is not continuous, find its [x]-axis
location and classify each discontinuity.

4.

Removable discontinuity at x = -1;

Essential discontinuity at x = 0
Determine if each function is continuous. If the
function is not continuous, find its [x]-axis
location and classify each discontinuity.

5.

Continuous.
Determine if each function is continuous. If the
function is not continuous, find its [x]-axis
location and classify each discontinuity.

6.

Jump discontinuity at x = -3
 Asynchronous Task
Answer ”What Have I Learned So Far?” on your book, page 85-86,
items number 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14.
 References:
● https://web.ntpu.edu.tw/~ccw/calculus/Chapter_01/Page61-71.pdf
● https://www.ck12.org/book/ck-12-college-precalculus/section/2.11/
● Basic Calculus (Diwa Textbook)