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Group Work Solutions 1 - 18
Group Work Solutions 1 - 18
x2 − 4
2. Use continuity to evaluate the limit lim arctan .
x→2 3x2 − 6x
Solution:
Inverse trigonometric functions are continuous at every number in their domain (a useful
fact to remember).
Therefore,
arctan iscontinuous.
Now if you write
x2 −4 x2 −4
f (g(x)) = arctan 3x2 −6x
i.e., g(x) = 3x2 −6x
and f (x) = arctan(x). As f is continuous
function thus lim f (g(x)) = f (lim g(x)).
x→2 x→2
2
x −4 (x−2)(x
+ 2) 4 2
lim g(x) = lim = lim = = .
x→2 x→2 2
3x − 6x x→2 3x(x− 2)
6 3
2
=⇒ lim f (g(x)) = arctan ≈ 0.5880
x→2 3
Solution:
x2 − 4
(x−2)(x
+ 2)
At x = 2: lim− = lim− = lim− (x + 2) = 4 and
x→2 x−2 x→2 (x−2)
x→2
2
lim+ ax − bx + 3 = 4a − 2b + 3. Thus for f (x) to be continuous at x = 2,
x→2
4a − 2b + 3 = 4 =⇒ 4a − 2b = 1 —– (1)
2a = 1 =⇒ a = 1/2
Thus a = b = 1/2 for f (x) to be continuous on (−∞, ∞).
1
4. A Tibetan monk leaves the monastery at 7:00 AM and takes his usual path to the top of
the mountain, arriving at 7:00 PM. The following morning, he starts at 7:00 AM at the top
and takes the same path back, arriving at the monastery at 7:00 PM. Use the Intermediate
Value Theorem to show that there is a point on the path that the monk will cross at exactly
the same time of day on both days.
Solution:
Let d be the distance between the monastery and the top of the hill.
Define x1 (t) to be the distance traveled by the monk in t hours on day one and similarly
define x2 (t) to be the distance traveled by the monk in t hours on day two.
Therefore, due to the Intermediate Value Theorem there must be a time t0 ; 0 < t0 <
12, where (x1 − x2 )(t0 ) = 0 =⇒ x1 (t0 ) = x2 (t0 ).