PAGADIAN JUNIOR COLLEGE (PJC), INC.

Corner De Siete and Enerio Streets,

Balangasan Dist., Pagadian City

Name: _______________________ Date: _______________

Grade and Section: _____________ Subject: Basic Calculus

Module 1: Week 1

Chapter 1- Limits and Continuity

Learning Targets
 Illustrate the limit of a function using a table of values and the graph of the function
 Distinguish lim f ( x )¿ f (a)
x→ a

Lesson 1- Determining the Limit of a Function by Using Tabular and

Graphical Methods

 Gear Up!
What is your idea of a limit? Do you think all things have limits? In your daily
activities, have you ever had to deal with limits?

RJ and his friends had an exciting adventure last summer. They hiked up
to the brow of the rocky mountain overlooking the Underground River. As they
went up the slope of the mountain, they got closer and closer to the brow but
they had to be careful not to go beyond, for they might fall on the river. That
gave them an experience of a limit.

I. Analyze and Explore

A. The Tabular Method

Consider the linear function

f ( x )=2 x−3
Let us determine the limit of f(x) as the values of x approach 1.
 Observe the behavior of f in Table 1 and 2 as the values of x get closer and close to the
number 1.

Table 1 Table 2
x f(x)=2x-3 x f(x)=2x-3
0 -3 2 1
0.5 -2 1.5 0
0.75 -1.5 1.25 -0.5
0.8 -1.4 1.2 -0.6
0.9 -1.2 1.1 -0.8
0.99 -1.02 1.01 -0.98
0.999 -1.002 1.001 -0.998

In the number line, this happens when x values approach the number 1
from the left

or from the right.

Table 1 shows the values of x approaching the number 1 from the left; that is, the values
of x are getting closer to 1, but they are all less than 1. How do the values of y=f(x) behave as a
result?
They also get closer to the number -1
In table 2, we make the values of x approach 1 from the right. This time, the values of x
are getting closer and close to 1, but they are all greater than 1.

The resulting values of f(x) are also get closer to the number -1

In this example, we observe that as the values of x approach 1 from both left and right,
the values of f(x) also approach -1. Hence, we say that -1 is the limit of f ( x )=2 x−3 as x
approaches 1.
In mathematical symbols, we write it as
lim ( 2 x−3 )=−1
x →1

In general, the expression

lim f ( x )=L
x→ a

read as “ The limit of f(x) as x approaches a is L,” mean the L is the number that the values of
f(x) approach, as the values of x approach a certain number a (both from its left and right sides in
the number line).
 Steps on getting the limit of a given function y= f(x) as x approaches the number a.
1. Compute for the values of f(x) as x approaches a from the left. Check whether these
values also approach a certain number. We shall symbolize the limit from the left of a
as lim ¿ −¿
x→ a f ( x ) .¿
2. Do the same for the values of f(x) as x approaches a from the right. We shall symbolize
the limit from the right of a as lim ¿ +¿
x→ a f ( x ) . ¿

lim ¿
−¿
x→ a f ( x ) ∧ +¿
lim one− sided limits ¿¿
x →a f (x )arealso called

lim ¿
3. Verify whether −¿
x→ a f ( x ) = lim . ¿¿ +¿
x →a f (x )

lim ¿
a. If −¿
x→ a f ( x ) = lim
+¿
,then lim f ( x ) =L. ¿¿
x →a f (x )=L x →a

lim ¿
b. If −¿
x→ a f ( x ) ≠ lim ,we say that lim f ( x ) ¿¿
+¿
x→ a f ( x ) x→ a

Example 1

Using table of values, evaluate lim ( x ¿¿ 2+ 2) . ¿

x →0

Solution
In this problem, f ( x )=(x ¿¿ 2+ 2)∧a=0¿ .
Table 3 Table 4
2
x f ( x )=x +2 x f ( x )=x 2 +2
-1 3 1 3
-0.5 2.25 0.5 2.25
-0.25 2.0625 0.25 2.0625
-0.1 2.01 0.1 2.01
-0.01 2.0001 0.01 2.0001
-0.001 2.000001 0.001 2.000001
∴ lim ¿ ∴ lim ¿
−¿ +¿
x →0 (x¿¿2 +2)=2 ¿¿ x →0 (x¿¿ 2+2)=2 ¿¿

lim ¿
Since x→ 0 −¿
(x ¿¿2+2)= +¿
lim
x→0 ( x¿¿2+ 2)=2 ,thenlim ( x¿¿2+ 2)=2 ¿¿
¿ ¿¿¿
x →0

Observe in table 3 and 4 that the x values approach 0 from both left and right, the values
of f(x) still approach the number 2.

Example 2

x 2−9
Examine lim by constructing tables of values.
x →3 x−3

Solution

x 2−9
Here, f ( x )= ∧a=3
x −3
Simplify the equation since the function is not defined at x=3.

x 2−9
f ( x )=
x −3
( x −3)( x+3)
f ( x )=
x−3
f ( x )=x +3

Table 5 Table 6
2
x x −9 x x 2−9
f ( x )= =x +3 , x ≠ 3 f ( x )= =x +3 , x ≠ 3
x −3 x −3
2 5 4 7
2.5 5.5 3.5 6.5
2.75 5.75 3.25 6.25
2.9 5.9 3.1 6.1
2.99 5.99 3.01 6.01
2.999 5.999 3.001 6.001
∴ lim ¿ ∴ lim ¿
2 2
−¿ x −9 +¿ x −9
x →3 =6 ¿ x →3 =6 ¿
x−3 x−3

From Example 2, we note that lim

x→ a
f ( x )=L, but f(a) does not exist.

Therefore, lim
x→ a
f ( x ) is not always equal to f(a).

Exercise 1
Let us check your basic knowledge about piecewise function
2
Let g ( x )= x −1 , x< 2
{
x +2 , x ≥ 2
lim ¿
Since x→ 3 xx−3
−9
Evaluate lim g ( x) and g(2) buy constructing
−¿
2
= lim , then lim
table of values
x −9
x−3
=6 ¿¿
+¿
2
x −9 x→ 3
2

x→ 3
x →2 x−3
=6

B. The Graphical Method

Let us consider once again the function f ( x )=2 x−3. Its graph is a straight line with slope 2 and
y-intercept, -3.
From the right as it
approaches to x=1

From the left as it

approaches to x=1
(1,-1)
 By plotting the table 1 and 2, we noticed that the points move up along the straight line and
approach the point (1,-1), where y=-1.

With this, we confirm graphically our ealier conclusion that lim

x →1
( 2 x−3 )=−1.

Note also that f(1)=-1. Therefore, in this case, lim

x →1
( 2 x−3 )=f (1).

In example 1, we have considered the function y=x 2 +2, we have seen in our previous table
of values that lim
x →0
(x ¿¿ 2+ 2)=2¿ . We now verify this graphically by looking at points very close
to x=0.

From the left as it

approaches to x=0 From the right as it
approaches to x=1

By plotting the table 3 and 4, we noticed that as the values of x approach 0 from the left and
right, the points of the graph also approach a level where y=2. So, now we say that
lim ( x ¿¿ 2+ 2)=2¿ .
x →0

x 2−9
For the graph of f ( x )=
x −3

From the right as it

approaches to x=1
From the left as it
approaches to x=3
 Observe that as the x values approach 3 from both the left and the right, the points of the
x 2−9
graph are such that their y values approach 6. Hence, we say that lim =6. However, f(3)
x →3 x−3

x 2−9
does not exist. Therefore, in this case, lim ≠ f (3). As you can see that the point is hollow
x →3 x−3
because the f(3) does not exist.
Observe that it is faster to identify the limit of a given function or even its value at any x
when we see its graph.

Consider, for example, the graph of the function y=f(x)

shown in the figure. Without the need to compute for
values of f(x) in a table, we can make the following
conclusions, regarding its limits and function values
simply by inspection. For example,
lim f ( x )does not exist since
1. x→−2 lim ¿
−¿
x→ 2 f ( x ) =3 ¿

and lim ¿. But f(-2)=3.

+¿
x→ 2 f ( x ) =−1 ¿

2. lim f ( x )=−1since lim ¿. Note that

−¿
x →0 x→ 0 f ( x ) =−1 ¿

f(0)=1, which is different from lim f ( x ).

lim lim
3. lim
x →2
f ( x ) also does not exist since
x →0
x→ 2 f ( x ) =−∞ ¿
¿while
−¿ +¿
x→ 2 f ( x ) =+∞ ¿
¿.
In this
x f ( x )=5−3 x x f ( x )=5−3 x case,
1 3 we say
that f
1.5 2.5
has
1.75 2.25 infinite
1.9 2.1 limits
as 1.99 2.01 x

1.999 2.001
∴ lim ¿ ∴ lim ¿
−¿ +¿
x →2 (5−3 x)=¿ ¿¿ x →2 (5−3 x)=¿ ¿¿

approaches 2. Moreover, f(2) does not exist.

II. Firm up
1. Using a calculator, complete the following table of value to investigate the limits of the
following functions.
a. lim (5−3 x )
x →2
 42 −1
b. lim
x→−
1 2 x+ 1
2

2. Consider the graphs below. Evaluate the following limits

a. lim ¿ =__________
−¿
x→ 1 f (x)¿

b. lim ¿=__________
+¿
x→ 1 f ( x ) ¿

c. lim
x →1
f (x )=___________

d. lim ¿=__________
−¿
x→−2 g (x)¿

e. lim ¿=__________
+¿
x→−2 g (x)¿

f. lim g( x)=___________
x→−2

III. Deepen Your Understanding

1. Evaluate the following limits to think if they exist, by constructing tables of
values and if possible graph the following
x 4 2−1 x 4 2−1
f ( x )= f ( x )=
2 x+1 2 x+1
-1.5 3
-1 2.5
-0.75 2.25
-0.6 2.1
-0.51 2.01
-0.501 2.001
∴ lim ¿ ∴ lim ¿
−¿ 2 +¿ 2
1 4 −1 1 4 −1
x →− = ¿¿ x →− =¿¿
2 2 x+1 ¿ 2 2 x +1 ¿
 a. lim (x 2 +3 x−2)
x→−1

x 2−2 x+1
b. lim
x →1 x−1

−1 , x<0
x →0 {
c. lim f ( x ) , where f ( x )= 0 , x =0
1 , x >0

t+2 , t ≤−2
d. lim g (t) , where g ( t )=
x →2 { 2 , t>−2
2. Given a function y=f(x), if lim ¿ lim ¿ what is the value of k so
x→ a f ( x ) =k−4 ,where k ∈R∧¿ ¿
−¿ +¿
x→ a f ( x )= −3 ,¿

that lim
x→ a
f (x ) exists?

IV. Transfer

Answer the following questions in a separate sheet of paper.

 What experience have you had that gave you a sense of limits? In what way did
you feel there was limit in it?
 Do you think all things have limits? What things do you think have limits?
Which ones do you think do not have limits?

Prepared by:

BERTOLDO B. DELA CRUZ JR.

Contact # 09666376288