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Types of Discontinuities: Quick Overview
Types of Discontinuities: Quick Overview
Quick Overview
• Discontinuities can be classified as jump, infinite, removable, endpoint, or
mixed.
• Removable discontinuities are characterized by the fact that the limit ex-
ists.
• Removable discontinuities can be “fixed” by re-defining the function.
• The other types of discontinuities are characterized by the fact that the
limit does not exist. Specifically,
– Jump Discontinuities: both one-sided limits exist, but have different
values.
– Infinite Discontinuities: both one-sided limits are infinite.
– Endpoint Discontinuities: only one of the one-sided limits exists.
– Mixed: at least one of the one-sided limits does not exist.
Jump Discontinuities
The graph of f (x) below shows a function that is discontinuous at x = a.
y
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x
a
In this graph, you can easily see that lim− f (x) = L and lim+ f (x) = M .
x→a x→a
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The function is approaching different values depending on the direction x is
coming from. When this happens, we say the function has a jump discontinuity
at x = a.
Infinite Discontinuities
The graph below shows a function that is discontinuous at x = a.
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x
a
The arrows on the function indicate it will grow infinitely large as x ap-
proaches a. Since the function doesn’t approach a particular finite value, the
limit does not exist. This is an infinite discontinuity.
x x
a a
Removable Discontinuities
In the graphs below, there is a hole in the function at x = a. These holes
are called removable discontinuities.
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y y
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M
L L
x x
a a
Notice that for both graphs, even though there are holes at x = a, the limit
value at x = a exists.
Example 1
The function below has a removable discontinuity at x = 2. Redefine the
function so the function becomes continuous at x = 2.
x2 − 2x
f (x) =
x2 − 4
Solution
The graph of the function is shown below for reference.
f (x)
5
1
x
1 2 3 4 5
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In order to fix the discontinuity, we need to know the y-value of the hole in
the graph. To determine this, we find the value of lim f (x).
x→2
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x2 − 2x (2)2 − 2(2) 0
lim 2
= 2
=
x→2 x − 4 (2) − 4 0
0
The division by zero in the 0 form tells us there is definitely a discontinuity
at this point.
f (x)
5
1
x
1 2 3 4 5
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Endpoint Discontinuities
When a function is defined on an interval with a closed endpoint, the limit
cannot exist at that endpoint. This is because the limit has to examine the
function values as x approaches from √
both sides.
For example, consider finding lim x (see the graph below).
x→0
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f (x)
5
1
x
1 2 3 4 5
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Note that x = 0 is the left-endpoint of the functions domain: [0, ∞), and
the function is technically not continuous there because the limit doesn’t exist
(because x can’t approach from both sides).
We should note that the function is right-hand continuous at x = 0 which
is why we don’t see any jumps, or holes at the endpoint.
Mixed Discontinuities
Consider the graph shown below.
y
5
4
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1
x
1 2 3 4 5
A Mixed Discontinuity
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Author: HT Goodwill
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