1

Continuity
1. On the grid below, draw a discontinuous function that is defined everywhere.
1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

2. On the grid below, draw the function

5,
f (x) = sin(x),

x 1,

if x < 0,
if 0 6 x 6 1,
if x > 1.

-2

-1

3. On what intervals are the functions you drew above continuous?

The first function is continuous on the intervals (, 2) (2, ). The second function
is continuous on the interval (, 0) and (0, ).
4. Determine whether or not f is continuous at x = a. If not, explain why.

(a) f (x) = x 5 at a = 3

3 5 = 2, which is undefined, so this function is discontinuous at a = 3.

1

x2 4
at a = 2
x+2
If we plug in a = 2 we get a divide by zero, so this function is not continuous
at that point.
x1
(c) f (x) = 2
at a = 1
x +x+1
There is no divide by zero if we plug in a = 1, so the function is defined. In fact,
f (1) = 0. The limit limx1 f (x) also exists and is equal to 0, so this function is
continuous at a = 1.

(b) f (x) =

(d) f (x) = csc( cos(x)) at a = 46

Notice that sin(n) = 0 for every integer n, that cos(n) = 1 for every even
integer n, and that cos(n) = 1 for every odd integer n. This means that
sin( cos(46)) = sin( 1) = sin() = 0. Since csc(x) = 1/ sin(x), it follows
that f (46) is a divide by zero and is therefore undefined. So f (x) here is not
continuous.
5. Recall the intermediate value theorem (IVT).
(a) What are the conditions of the IVT?
That f (x) is continuous on an interval [a, b].
(b) What is the conclusion of the IVT?
That for every y between f (a) and f (b) there is a c in the interval (a, b) such that
f (c) = y.
(c) Use the IVT to determine if x3 + 2x + 1 has a root on the interval (1, 0).
If f (x) = x3 + 2x + 1, f (1) = (1)3 + 2(1) + 1 = 2 and f (0) = 1. Since f (x)
is continuous on [1, 0] the IVT implies that there is some c with 1 < c < 0
such that f (c) = 0. In other words, f (x) has a root on the interval (1, 0).
6. Consider the following graph of a function f .
y
(a, c)
f
a

x
(a, b)

(a) What is lim f (x)?

xa

Its b, which we can see from the open circle on the graph.
(b) What is f (a)?
Its c, which we can see from the shaded circle on the graph.
(c) Is f continuous at a? Justify your answer.
No, because even though f (a) is defined and limxa f (x) exists, they are not equal
to each other.
ln(x 3)
continuous? Justify your answer.
7x
ln(x) has the domain (0, ), so the function ln(x 3) has the domain (3, ), so the
domain of f (x) cannot be any larger. Also, f (x) is undefined at x = 7 because of a
divide by zero. All other numbers are okay, though, so the intervals of continuity are
(3, 7) (7, ).

7. On what intervals is the function f (x) =