Calculus I

Tutorial #2 (31 Oct – 04 Nov 2022)

Topics:

• Definition of limits

• Infinite limits

• Continuity

Problem 1. Prove that lim

,
Problem 2. Prove that lim

Problem 3. Prove that lim

Problem 4. Prove that

.
Problem 5. Let

Prove that lim f(x) does not exist.

x→1

Problem 6. Find lim as

 (a) x → 0+

(b) x → 0−
√
(c) x → 2
3

(d) x → −1.

Problem 7. Find limand lim .

t→0 +

Problem 8. Use formal definitions to prove that lim .

Problem 9. Use formal definitions to prove that lim .

Problem 10. Use formal definitions to prove that lim .

2

Problem 11. At what points are the function continuous?

Problem 12. At what points are the function y = (2x − 1)1/3 continuous?

Problem 13. For what value of a is

continuous at every x?

Problem 14. If the product function h(x) = f(x) · g(x) is continuous at x = 0 must f(x)
and g(x) be continuous at x = 0? Justify your answer.

Additional Problems (if time allows)

Problem 15. Thermal expansion in precise equipment As you may know, most metals
expand when heated and contract when cooled. The dimensions of a piece of
laboratory equipment are sometimes so critical that the shop where the equipment is
made must be held at the same temperature as the laboratory where the equipment is
to be used. A typical aluminum bar that is 10 cm wide at 70◦F will be

y = 10 + (t − 70) × 10−4
centimeters wide at a nearby temperature t. Suppose that you are using a bar like this
in a gravity wave detector, where its width must stay within 0.0005 cm of the ideal 10
cm. How close to t0 = 70◦F must you maintain the temperature to ensure that this
tolerance is not exceeded?

√Problem 16. Use the formal definition of limit to prove that the function h(x) =

2x − 3 is continuous at x0 = 2.

Problem 17. Bounded functions A real-valued function f is bounded from above on a

set D if there exists a number N such that f(x) ≤ N for all x in D. We call N, when it
exists, an upper bound for f on D and say that f is bounded from above by N. In a
similar manner, we say that f is bounded from below on D if there exists a number M
such that f(x) ≥ M for all x in D. We call M, when it exists, a lower bound for f on D and
say that f is bounded from below by M. We say that f is bounded on D if it is bounded
from both above and below.

(a) Show that f is bounded on D if and only if there exists a number B such that |
f(x)| ≤ B for all x in D.

(b) Suppose that f is bounded from above by N. Show that if lim f(x) = L, then
x→x0

L ≤ N.

(c) Suppose that f is bounded from below by M. Show that if lim ,

then
0

L ≥ M.