Saint Paul University Surigao Calculus 1 Professor: DR. JENNY C.

CANO

MODULE 2
LIMIT AND CONTINUITY
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Illustrate limits of functions.

2. Evaluate limits of functions using the rules or theorems of limits.
3. Discuss and differentiate one-sided and two-sided limits.
4. Discuss continuity and distinguish continuous & discontinuous
functions.
5. Describe and evaluate infinite limits and limits at infinity.
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

LIMITS: INTUITIVE CONCEPT

Consider 𝑓 𝑥 = 3𝑥 + 1. What is the behavior of 𝑓(𝑥) near but not equal to 2?

𝑥=2
𝒙 1.8 1.9 1.99 1.999 2.001 2.01 2.1
𝑓(𝑥) 6.4 6.7 6.97 6.997 7.003 7.03 7.3
?
Here, 3𝑥 + 1 → 7 as 𝑥 → 2 .
approaches

Mathematically, 𝑥→2
lim 3𝑥 + 1 = 7
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

LIMITS: INTUITIVE CONCEPT

𝑥 2 −1
Consider 𝑓 𝑥 = . Describe 𝑓(𝑥) when 𝑥 is near 1.
𝑥−1
𝑥=1
𝒙 0.8 0.9 0.99 0.999 1.001 1.01 1.5
𝑓(𝑥) 1.8 1.9 1.99 1.999 2.001 2.01 2.5
?
𝑥 2 −1 But, the function is not defined at 𝑥 = 1, that is,
Here, → 2 as 𝑥 → 1 .
𝑥−1 𝑓(𝑥) does not exist.

Note: If the function is defined on some open interval

𝑥2 − 1
Mathematically, 𝑥→1
lim =2 containing 𝑎 and if the graph does not have a hole at
𝑥−1 𝑎, 𝑓 𝑎 , then the limit is 𝑓(𝑎).
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

RULES ON LIMITS
lim 𝑐 = 𝑐 lim 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑓(𝑥) 𝑥→𝑎
𝑥→𝑎 lim = , if lim 𝑔(𝑥) ≠ 0
lim 𝑓 𝑥 ± 𝑔 𝑥 = lim 𝑓(𝑥) ± lim 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑥→𝑎 𝑔(𝑥) lim 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑥→𝑎
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
𝑥→𝑎
lim 𝑥 = 𝑎
𝑥→𝑎
𝑛 𝑛
lim 𝑓(𝑥) = lim 𝑓(𝑥) , where 𝑛 is a positive integer and lim 𝑓(𝑥) > 0
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
lim 𝑓 𝑥 ∙ 𝑔 𝑥 = lim 𝑓(𝑥) ∙ lim 𝑔(𝑥)
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎

Evaluate the following limits:

Note: In evaluating the limit of a 1.) lim 𝑥 − 1 3.) 3 𝑥 3 − 64
𝑥→1 𝑥+3−2 lim
𝑥→4 𝑥 2 − 16
function, always try first direct
substitution applying the above 3𝑥 2 + 𝑥 + 1
2.) lim
𝑥→2 𝑥+3
rules on limits.
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

ONE-SIDED LIMITS
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

ONE-SIDED LIMITS

Given the figure on the left, find the ff. limits if they exist:
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

INFINITE LIMITS
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

INFINITE LIMITS
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

INFINITE LIMITS
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

INFINITE LIMITS
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

LIMIT AT INFINITY
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

LIMIT AT INFINITY
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

LIMIT AT INFINITY
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

LIMIT AT INFINITY

2𝑥 + 3
Evaluate lim
𝑥→∞ 3𝑥 2 − 4

2𝑥 3 2 3
2𝑥 + 3 + lim + 2 0+0 0
𝑥 2 𝑥 2 𝑥→∞ 𝑥 𝑥
lim 2 = lim 2 = = = =0
𝑥→∞ 3𝑥 − 4 𝑥→∞ 3𝑥 4 4 3−0 3
− lim 3 − 2
𝑥2 𝑥 2 𝑥→∞ 𝑥
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

LIMIT THEOREM
If 𝑎 is any real number, and if lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 0 and lim 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑐, where 𝑐 is constant not equal to 0, then:
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
𝑔(𝑥)
1.) If c > 0 and 𝑓(𝑥) → 0 through positive values of f(x), lim 𝑓(𝑥) = ∞.
𝑥→𝑎
𝑔(𝑥)
2.) If c > 0 and 𝑓(𝑥) → 0 through negative values of f(x), lim = −∞.
𝑥→𝑎 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑔(𝑥)
3.) If c < 0 and 𝑓(𝑥) → 0 through positive values of f(x), lim 𝑓(𝑥) = −∞.
𝑥→𝑎
𝑔(𝑥)
4.) If c < 0 and 𝑓(𝑥) → 0 through negative values of f(x), lim 𝑓(𝑥) = ∞.
𝑥→𝑎

𝑥2 + 9 Solution: 𝑐>0
Example 1: lim+
𝑥→3 𝑥−3 lim+ 𝑥 2 + 9 = 32 + 9 = 18 and lim+ (𝑥 − 3) = 3 − 3 = 0
𝑥→3 𝑥→3
𝑥2 + 9
Since c > 0, 𝑥 − 3 → 0 through positive values of 𝑓(𝑥), lim =∞
𝑥→3+ 𝑥−3
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

LIMIT THEOREM
If 𝑎 is any real number, and if lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 0 and lim 𝑔 𝑥 = 𝑐, where 𝑐 is constant not equal to 0, then:
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
𝑔(𝑥)
1.) If c > 0 and 𝑓(𝑥) → 0 through positive values of f(x), lim 𝑓(𝑥) = ∞.
𝑥→𝑎
𝑔(𝑥)
2.) If c > 0 and 𝑓(𝑥) → 0 through negative values of f(x), lim = −∞.
𝑥→𝑎 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑔(𝑥)
3.) If c < 0 and 𝑓(𝑥) → 0 through positive values of f(x), lim 𝑓(𝑥) = −∞.
𝑥→𝑎
𝑔(𝑥)
4.) If c > 0 and 𝑓(𝑥) → 0 through negative values of f(x), lim 𝑓(𝑥) = ∞.
𝑥→𝑎

𝑥+6 Solution: Evaluate right-hand and left-hand limits. The results are as follows:
Example 2: lim
𝑥→0 𝑥 lim+
𝑥+6
= +∞ and lim−
𝑥+6
= −∞
𝑥→0 𝑥 𝑥→0 𝑥
𝑥+6
Therefore, lim does not exist.
𝑥→0 𝑥
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

OTHER PROPERTIES
𝑥2 + 5
If 𝑐 > 0, then Example 1: Evaluate lim
𝑥→∞ 𝑥
𝑐 ∙∞=∞
𝑥2 + 5 5
𝑐 ∙ −∞ = −∞ lim = lim 𝑥 + =∞+0= ∞
𝑥→∞ 𝑥 𝑥→∞ 𝑥
If 𝑐 < 0, then
𝑐 ∙ ∞ = −∞
5 𝑥+4
𝑐 ∙ −∞ = ∞ Example 2: Evaluate lim ∙
𝑥→3 (𝑥 − 3)2 𝑥 − 4
If 𝑐 is any real number, then
𝑐+∞=∞ 5 𝑥+4 5 𝑥+4
lim ∙ = lim ∙ lim = ∞ ∙ −7 = −∞
𝑐 − ∞ = −∞ 𝑥→3 (𝑥 − 3)2 𝑥 − 4 𝑥→3 (𝑥 − 3)2 𝑥→3 𝑥 − 4
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

CONTINUITY
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

CONTINUITY
 Module 2 – Limit & Continuity

CONTINUITY ON AN INTERVAL