Limits and Continuity

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Mathematically, the limit of f(x) as x approaches
a is equal to L is denoted by

lim f ( x)  L
xa

If the following statements are true

given any   0 , however small
there exists   0 such that
if 0  x  a   then
f ( x)  L  

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Example f ( x)  3x  1
x f(x) x f(x)
0 -1 2 5
0.5 0.5 1.5 3.5
0.9 1.7 1.1 2.3

0.99 1.97 1.01 2.03

0.999 1.997 1.001 2.003

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Example f ( x)  3x 2

x f(x) x f(x)
1 3 3 27
1.5 6.75 2.5 18.75
1.9 11.88 2.1 13.23

1.99 11.988 2.01 12.12

1.999 11.9988 2.001 12.012

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 3x  3
2

Example f ( x)  2 x  2
x f(x) x f(x)
1 3 3 27
1.5 6.75 2.5 18.75
1.9 11.88 2.1 13.23

1.99 11.988 2.01 12.12

1.999 11.9988 2.001 12.012

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 1
Example f ( x) 
x 1
x f(x) x f(x)
0 -1 2 1
0.5 -2 1.5 2
0.9 -10 1.1 10

0.99 -100 1.01 100

0.999 -1000 1.001 1000

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TECHNIQUES IN FINDING THE
LIMIT OF A FUNCTION

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 Limit of a constant C

lim C  C
xa

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 Limit of xn

lim x  a
n n
xa

where n is a positive integer

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 Limit of a radical functions
If lim g ( x)  M then
xa

lim g ( x)  M
n n
xa

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 Limit of a constant times a
function
lim cf ( x)  c lim f ( x)  cL
xa

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 Sum and Difference of Limits

lim[ g ( x)  h( x) | lim g ( x)  lim h( x)

xa xa xa

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 Product of Limits

lim[ g ( x)  h( x) | lim g ( x)  lim h( x)

xa xa xa

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 Quotient of Limits
g ( x) lim g ( x) L
lim  xa

x  a h( x ) lim h( x) M
xa

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 Quotient of Limits
g ( x) lim g ( x) L
lim  xa

x  a h( x ) lim h( x) M
xa

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Find the Limit of the following

lim(7 x  3 x  4)
2
x2

4
lim(4 x  )
x 9 x
4
lim( 2 )
x2 x  8

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 Find the Limit of the following

lim( x  1)(5 x  16)

x4

x 1
lim( )
x 1 x 1
x
lim( )
x 1 (1  x )  1
2

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Find the Limit of the following

x 1
2
lim( )
x 1 x 1

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 Differentiation/Derivative of a
function
The derivative of a function is one of
the most important concepts of
calculus due to various applications in
the real world. Basically, the derivative
shows the rate of change of a function
that represents different quantities

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500
460 475
450
400 390 400
380
350
300
250 250
200
170
150 150
120
100
50
0
1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975

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 Given f(x)=x2-1, find the equation of
the tangent line at point (2,3).Sketch
the graph and the segment showing
the tangent line at (2,3)

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 Derivative of a function

 The derivative of any function f is

that function denoted by f’ such that
its value at number x in the domain
of f given by
f ( x  x)  f ( x)
f ' ( x)  lim
x 0 x

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Differentiation Techniques

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 Sum and Difference of
Function
d
 f ( x)  g ( x)  f ' ( x)  g ' ( x)
dx

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 Derivative of a polynomial

f ( x)  3x  2 x  5
3

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