Calculus Maximus WS 1.

1: Limits & Continuity

Name_________________________________________ Date________________________ Period______

Worksheet 1.1—Limits & Continuity

Short Answer: Show all work. Unless stated otherwise, no calculator permitted.

1. Explain in your own words what is meant by the equation lim f ( x ) = 4 . Is it possible for this statement
x→2
to be true and yet f ( 2 ) = 5 ? Explain. What graphical manifestation would f ( x ) have at x = 2 ?
Sketch a possible graph of f ( x ) .

2. Explain what it means to say that lim f ( x ) = 3 and lim f ( x ) = 6 . What graphical manifestation
x →1− x →1+

would f ( x ) have at x = 1 ? Sketch a possible graph of f ( x ) .

3. Explain the meaning of each of the following, then sketch a possible graph of a function exhibiting the
indicated behavior.
(a) lim f ( x ) = ∞ (b) lim g ( x ) = −∞ .
x →−2 x →−3+

x 2 + x − 20
4. For f ( x) = , algebraically determine the following:
x 2 − 16
(a) f ( 4 ) (b) lim f ( x ) (c) lim f ( x ) (d) lim f ( x )
x → 4− x → 4+ x→4

(e) lim f ( x ) (f) lim f ( x ) (g) lim f ( x ) (h) lim f ( x )

x→−4 x →0− x→1 x→−1

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 Calculus Maximus WS 1.1: Limits & Continuity

x +x 2
5. Using the definition of continuity, determine whether the graph of f ( x ) = is continuous
x + 2 x 2 − 3x
3

at the following. Justify.

(a) x = 0 (b) x = 1 (c) x = 2

− x 2 , x<0

6. For f ( x) = 0.001, x = 0 , algebraically determine the following:

 x, x>0
(a) f ( 0 ) (b) lim f ( x ) (c) lim f ( x ) (d) lim f ( x ) (e) continuity of f at x = 0 . Justify.
x →0− x →0+ x →0

7. Evaluate each of the following continuous functions at the indicated x-value:

(a)
θ→
lim sin θ =
11π
(b) lim 2 x =
x→6 x →0
(
(c) lim 57 x85 − 2 x 45 + 100 x11 − 99999 x + 5 = )
6

8. Evaluate each of the following:

(a) lim tan x = (b) lim tan x = (c) lim tan x =
π− π+ π
x→ x→ x→
2 2 2

−2 −2 −2
(d) lim = (e) lim = (f) lim =
x →−5− x+5 x →−5+ x+5 x →−5 x + 5

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 Calculus Maximus WS 1.1: Limits & Continuity

9. For the function f whose graph is given at below, evaluate the following, if it exists. If it does not exist,
explain why.

(a) lim f ( x ) = (b) lim f ( x ) = (c) lim f ( x ) =

x →3 x →7 x →−4

(d) lim f ( x ) = (e) lim f ( x ) = (f) lim f ( x ) =

x →−9− x →−9+ x →−9

(g) What are the equations of the vertical asymptotes?

10. A patient receives a 150-mg injection of a drug every

four hours. The graph at right shows the amount C ( t )
of the drug in the bloodstream after t hours.
Approximate lim C ( t ) and lim C ( t ) , then explain
t →12− t →12+
in a complete sentence the significance/meaning of
these one-sided limits in terms of the injections at
t = 12 hours.

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 Calculus Maximus WS 1.1: Limits & Continuity

1
11. (Calculator Permitted) Sketch the graph of the function f ( x ) = 1
in the space below, then
1+ 2 x
evaluate each, if it exists. If it does not exist, explain why. Name the type and location of any
discontinuity.

(a) lim f ( x ) = (b) lim f ( x ) = (c) lim f ( x ) = (d) f ( 0 ) =

x →0 − x →0 + x →0

12. Using the definition of continuity at a point, discuss the continuity of the following function. Justify.
 2 − x, x < −1

f ( x ) =  x, −1 ≤ x < 1

( x − 1) , x ≥ 1
2

3ax − b, x < 1

13. For f ( x ) = 5, ()
x = 1, find the values of a and b such that f x is continuous at x = 1 . Show

2a x + b, x > 1
the work that leads to your answer.

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 Calculus Maximus WS 1.1: Limits & Continuity

14. (Calculator permitted) Fill in the table for the following function, then use the numerical evidence (
to 3 decimal places) to evaluate the indicated limit. (Be sure you’re in radian mode)

sin ( 3x )
f ( x) =
x

x −0.1 −0.01 −0.001 0 0.001 0.01 0.1

f ( x)

Based on the numeric evidence above, lim f ( x ) =

x →0

Multiple Choice: Put the Capital Letter of the correct answer in the blank to the left of the number. Be
sure to show any work/analysis.

 1
_____ 15. lim 1 −  =
x →0−  x
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) −∞ (D) 0 (E) ∞

3 − x, x ≠ 1
_____ 16. Find lim f ( x ) if f ( x ) = 
x →1 1, x =1

3
(A) 2 (B) 1 (C) (D) 0 (E) DNE
2

_____ 17. For which of the following does lim f ( x ) exist?

x→4
I. II. III.

graph of f ( x ) graph of f ( x ) graph of f ( x )

(A) I only (B) II only (C) III only (D) I and II only (E) I and III only

ln x, 0<x≤2
_____ 18. If f ( x ) =  2 , then lim f ( x ) is
 x ln 2, 2 < x ≤ 4 x→ 2

(A) ln 2 (B) ln 8 (C) ln16 (D) 4 (E) nonexistent

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 Calculus Maximus WS 1.1: Limits & Continuity

Use the graph of f ( x ) above to answer questions 19 - 22.

_____ 19. lim f ( x ) =

x →7
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) −1 (D) 4 (E) DNE

_____ 20. lim f ( x ) =

x →0−
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) −1 (D) 4 (E) DNE

_____ 21. lim f x =

x→2
()
(A) 2 (B) 3 (C) −1 (D) 4 (E) DNE

_____ 22. Which of the following regarding f ( x ) at x = 5 true?

I. lim f ( x ) = 3
x →5−
II. lim f ( x ) = f ( 5 )
x → 5+
III. f ( x ) is continuous at x = 5

(A) I only (B) II only (C) I and II only (D) II and III only (E) I, II, and III

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 Calculus Maximus WS 1.1: Limits & Continuity
 ae + b, x < 0
x

_____ 23. If f ( x ) = 4, ()
x = 0 , then the value of b that makes f x continuous at x = 0 is
bx − 2a, x > 0

(A) 2 (B) −2 (C) 4 (D) 6 (E) no such value exists

1
_____ 24. If f ( x ) = and lim f ( x ) does not exist, then k =
x−2 x →( − k +1)

(A) 2 (B) 3 (C) 1 (D) −2 (E) −1

 x2
 , x≠0
_____ 25. The function f ( x ) =  x
0, x = 0


(A) is continuous for all x

(B) has a removable point discontinuity at x = 0
(C) has a non-removable oscillation discontinuity at x = 0
(D) has an non-removable infinite discontinuity at x = 0
(E) has a non-removable jump discontinuity at x = 0

 x2 − x
 , x≠0
_____ 26. If f ( x ) =  2x is continuous at x = 0 , then k =
 k, x=0

1 1
(A) −1 (B) − (C) 0 (D) (E) 1
2 2

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