EIA1007/EIA1012 ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS/MATHEMATICS

TOPIC: LIMITS AND CONTINUITY

TUTORIAL 3

Answer all questions.

1. Use the graph of 𝑓 in Figure 1 to estimate each limit if it exists.

Figure 1
(a) lim 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→−1
(b) lim 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→1
(c) lim 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→2

2. Use the graph of 𝑓 in Figure 2 to estimate each limit if it exists.

Figure 2
(a) lim 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→−1
(b) lim 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→0
(c) lim 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→1

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3. Use your calculator to complete the table, use your results to estimate the given limit.
𝑥 2 −9
(a) lim
𝑥→−3 𝑥+3

𝑥 -3.1 -3.01 -3.001 -2.999 -2.99 -2.9

𝑓(𝑥)

(b) lim |𝑥||𝑥|

𝑥→0

𝑥 -0.00001 0.00001 0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1

𝑓(𝑥)

4. Find the limits.

𝑥 2 +6
(a) lim
𝑥→−3 𝑥−6
(b) lim √𝑝2 + 𝑝 + 5
𝑝→4
𝑡 2 −4
(c) lim 𝑡−2
𝑡→−3
𝑥 4 −81
(d) lim 𝑥 2 +8𝑥+15
𝑥→−3

5. Find the limit. If the limit does not exist, so state, or use the symbol ∞ or -∞ where
appropriate.
3
(a) lim 𝑥
𝑥→∞ √
𝑥 2 −1
(b) lim
𝑥→−∞ 𝑥 3 +4𝑥−3
−6
(c) lim 3
𝑥→∞ 5𝑥 √𝑥
3𝑥−𝑥 3
(d) lim 3
𝑥→−∞ 𝑥 +𝑥+1
(e) lim+(4√𝑥 − 1)
𝑥→1
(f) lim−(𝑥√4 − 𝑥 2 )
𝑥→2

6. Determine whether the function is continuous at the given points.

𝑥+4
(a) 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥−2 ; −2, 0
𝑥 + 2 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 ≥ 2
(b) 𝑓(𝑥) = { 2 ; 2, 0
𝑥 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 < 2

7. Find all points of discontinuity.

𝑥
(a) 𝑝(𝑥) = 2
𝑥 +1
2𝑥 + 1 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 ≥ −1
(b) 𝑓(𝑥) = {
1 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 < −1
2
𝑥 + 1 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 > 2
(c) 𝑔(𝑥) = {
8𝑥 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 < 2

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8. The maximum theoretical efficiency of a power plant is given by
𝑇ℎ − 𝑇𝑐
𝐸=
𝑇ℎ
where 𝑇ℎ and 𝑇𝑐 are the absolute temperatures of the hotter and colder reservoirs,
respectively. Find
(a) lim 𝐸
𝑇𝑐 →0
(b) lim 𝐸
𝑇𝑐 →𝑇ℎ

9. Suppose the long-distance rate for a telephone call from Kuala Lumpur to Kota
Kinabalu is RM0.08 for the first minute or fraction thereof and RM0.04 for each
additional minute or fraction thereof. If 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) is a function that indicates the total
charge 𝑦 for a call of 𝑡 minutes duration, determine the values of 𝑡 where 0 < 𝑡 ≤ 3.5,
at which discontinuities occur.