Limits 

Basic Limit Rules 

Limits for Composite Functions 

L’Hopital’s Rule 

Other Limits 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Limits for Piecewise Functions 
Step 1: Evaluate the limits from the left 
Step 2: Evaluate the limits from the right 
Step 3: Compare the limits to see if they’re equal. If not, limit does not 
exist. 
Ex: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Step 1: Evaluate the limit from the left. 
limx→-2-(f(x)+g(x)) = 1 + 3 = 4 
 
Step 2: Evaluate the limit from the right 
limx→-2+(f(x)+g(x)) = 3 + 1 = 4 
 
Step 3: Compare the limits to see if they’re equal. 
4 = 4 ✔ 
limx→-2(f(x)+g(x)) = 4 
 
Other 
1. If lim x → a f(x) = f(a), then at x=a, f(x) is continuous. 
2. If g(x) is continuous at a and f(x) is continuous at g(a) , then the 
composite function given by f(g(x) is continuous at a. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Derivatives 
 
Basic Rules Derivatives of Functions 

Product Rule Chain Rule 

 
Quotient Rule Derivatives of Inverse Trig Functions 

 
Derivative of Inverse Function 

 
 
 
 
  
 
 Integrals  
Trapezoid formula (for trapezoidal Riemann sum) 

Integral Rules 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
  
U-Sub: 

Total Area (aka Total Distance) vs. Net Area: 

 
Total Area is the sum of the areas between the f and the x-axis 
Notes: In an integral this would appear as an abs value around the 
integrand 
 
Net area is total area, but areas below the x-axis are negative   
 Di erential Equations 
How to Solve 
Step 1: Separate variables 
Step 2: Take integrals on both sides (Make sure to have +C at the end of 
the right side) 
Step 3: Solve for y ’ 
Step 3.5: Plug in initial conditions to solve for C if initial conditions are 
given 
 
Population Growth 

 
Slope Fields 
Plug in the (x,y) into the di erential equation 
The value of y’ determines the slope at that point (x,y) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Newton’s Law of Cooling 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 Applications 
Derivative Tests 
1. Critical Points 
Step 1: Take a derivative of f(x) 
Step 2: Set f’(x) = 0 and solve for when x = 0 or undefined 
Step 3: Nice 
 
2. First Derivative Test 
If f ’ (x) > 0 on the interval [a, b], f(x) is increasing on the interval [a, b] 
If f ’ (x) < 0 on the interval [a, b], f(x) is decreasing on the interval [a, b] 
If f ’ (x) = 0 at point x=c, then f(c) = 0 & there is a horizontal tangent line 
 
If f ’(c) changes from negative to positive, f(x) has a local minimum at x=c 
If f ’(c) changes from positive to negative, f(x) has a local maximum at x=c 
If f ’(c) does not change signs, f(x) has no local minimum or maximum at 
x=c 
 
3. Second Derivative Test 
If f ” (x) > 0 on the interval [a, b], f ’(x) is increasing and f(x) is concave up 
on the interval [a, b] 
If f ” (x) < 0 on the interval [a, b], f ’ (x) is decreasing and f(x) is concave 
down on the interval [a, b] 
If f ” (x) = 0 at point x=c, then f’(c) = 0 and there is an inflection point at 
f(c) where f(c) changes in concavity 
 
If f ’(x) = 0 and f ”(x)>0 at x=c, then has a local minimum at x=c .  
If f ’(x) = 0 and f ”(x)<0 at x=c, then has a local maximum at x=c. 
Tangent Lines 
Find the equation of the tangent line at x = a of f(x) 
y - y1 = m (x - x1) 
m = f ’(a) 
y - f(a) = f ’(a) (x - a) 
 
Linear Approximation 
Take the tangent line and plug in the value you want to approximate 
Make sure the value you want to approximate is close to the a of the 
tangent line. 
 
Related Rates 
Step 1: Find out all that you know / draw a diagram 
Step 2: Identify the unknown 
Step 3: Make sure there are only two variables  
Step 4: Take a derivative with respect to (usually time) 
Step 5: Solve for the unknown 
 
Example: 

 
 
 
Absolute Max and Mins 
Step 1: Find critical values 
Step 2: Find endpoints. 
Step 3: Evaluate f(x) at critical values and end points 
Step 4: Determine the highest and lowest. 
 
Implicit Di erentiation 

 
Physics Applications 
1. If s(t) is a position function of an object 
Then, v(t) is the velocity function for that object and v(t) = s ’(t) 
Then, a(t) is the acceleration function for that object and a(t) = s ”(t) 
 
Area between curves, with f on top and g on bottom 

 
 
 
 
Average value of a function in the interval [a, b] (Mean Value Theorem 
for Integrals 

 
General Volume 

 
Notes: 
It’s the integral of the area between the curves 
 
Volume of Solid without a hole in it 

 
Volume of a Solid with a hole in it 
 
 
 
Notes: 
This is for rotation around the horizontal axis. 
If we do vertical axis we have to do with respect to y 
 
 
Perpendicular Cross Sections 
V = ∫ A(x) dx 
 
Notes: 
For A(x), find the area between curves and basically plug it into the area of 
the cross section.  
Example:  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Theorems 
1. Intermediate Value Theorem (IVT) 
If f is continuous on a closed interval [a, b], and if L is any number 
between f(a) and f(b), then there is at least one value x = c on the interval 
such that f(c) = L. 
 
Notes: 
If f is di erentiable, it is continuous 
L is a y-value because it is a number between f(a) and f(b) 
c is a number within the closed interval [a, b] 
f(a) ≠ f(b) 
 
2. Extreme Value Theorem (EVT) 
If f is continuous on a closed interval [a, b], then f attains both an absolute 
maximum and minimum value on the interval. 
 
Notes:  
If f is di erentiable, it is continuous 
Guarantees an absolute min/max on the interval 
 
3. The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus 
Part 1: 
If f is continuous on an open interval, then: 

Part 2: 
If f is continuous on the closed interval [a, b] and F is the indefinite 
integral of f on [a, b] then: 

 
Notes: 
If f is di erentiable, it is continuous. (Both parts) 
 
FTC1 with Chain Rule: 

 
 
4. Mean Value Theorem/Rolle’s Theorem 
If f is continuous on a closed interval [a, b], then there exists a value c 
where 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rolle’s Theorem 
If f is continuous on a closed interval [a, b] AND f(a) = f(b), then there 
exists a value c where f ’(c) = 0. 
 
Notes for both: 
If f is di erentiable it is continuous. 
Basically there will be a value x=c where f ’(c) = average rate of change in 
the interval 
 
 
5. Squeeze Theorem 
If f(x) ≤ g(x) ≤ h(x) when is x near a (except possibly at a ) and 
 
lim x→a f(x) = lim x→a h(x) = L 
 
Then, lim x→a g(x) = L 
 
Notes: 
If f is di erentiable, it is continuous 
g(x) does not have to be between f(x) and h(x) for ALL points on the graph 
just only near the area where you’re evaluating the limit.  
 
6. Fermat’s Theorem 
If f has a local maximum or minimum at x=c and f ’(c) exists, then f ’(c) = 0. 
 
Notes: 
This literally means if f is di erentiable, it is continuous 
Horizontal tangent line 
   
 Intuition/Other 
Limits 
If the limit from the left and the limit from the right are equal. Then the 
limit exists. Furthermore, if the limit is equal to the value of the function, 
then the function is continuous at that point (Mention this for squeeze 
theorem) 
 
If you’re asked to solve for f(x) and f ’(x) in a limit, you should be given 
limx →5g(x) = g(5). Just plug in and solve then take a L’hopital’s rule (that’s 
usually how you find the f ’(x).  
 
L’hopital’s Rule is equal to 0/0 (you’ll know when to use to solve for a 
function) 
 
Derivatives 
If the problem asks Is the rate of change of <> increasing or decreasing, 
they mean take a derivative (it is the rate of change of the object 
increasing or decreasing which is determined by taking a derivative). 
 
If a function is concave up, then the linear approximation is an 
underestimate 
If a function is concave down, then the linear approximation is an 
overestimate 
 
Integrals 
Riemann Sums 
Decreasing Functions 
Left Riemann Sum is overestimate and Right Riemann Sum is under 
estimate 
 
Increasing Functions 
Left Riemann Sum is under estimate and Right Riemann Sum is 
overestimate 
https://www.khanacademy.org/math/ap-calculus-ab/ab-integration-new/
ab-6-3/v/writing-riemann-sum-limit-as-definite-integral 
This video converting Riemann Sums to Definite Integrals