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Basic Calculus L2

The document discusses continuity of functions at points and over intervals. It defines continuity of a function at a point using three conditions: 1) the function value at that point exists, 2) the limit of the function as x approaches the point exists, and 3) the function value equals the limit. A function is continuous over an interval if it is continuous at every point in the interval. Examples illustrate determining if functions are continuous at points or over intervals.

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Abbie Maluto
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63 views14 pages

Basic Calculus L2

The document discusses continuity of functions at points and over intervals. It defines continuity of a function at a point using three conditions: 1) the function value at that point exists, 2) the limit of the function as x approaches the point exists, and 3) the function value equals the limit. A function is continuous over an interval if it is continuous at every point in the interval. Examples illustrate determining if functions are continuous at points or over intervals.

Uploaded by

Abbie Maluto
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lesson 2

Continuity
Learning outcomes:
 Illustrate continuity of a function at a
number
 Determine whether a function is continuous
at a number or not
 Illustrate continuity of a function on an
interval
 Solves problem involving continuity of a
function.

Time Allotment: 240 Minutes


What does “continuity at a point” mean?
Intuitively, this means that in drawing the
graph of a function, the point in question
will be traversed.
 As we have observed in our discussion of
limits, there are functions whose limits
are not equal to the function value at x =
c, meaning, lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑐 .
𝑥→𝑐
 Note that lim 𝑓 𝑥 is NOT
𝑥→𝑐
NECESSARILY the same as f (c). This will
leads us to the study of continuity of
functions
Continuity of a Function at a number
In this section, we will be focusing on the
continuity of a function at a specific point.
To determine if the function is continuous
at a certain number, consider the three
conditions of continuity.
Three Conditions of Continuity
A function f (x) is said to be continuous at
x = c if the following three conditions are
satisfied:
I. f (c) exists;
II. lim 𝑓(𝑥)exists; and
𝑥→𝑐
III. f c = lim 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→𝑐
If at least one of these conditions is not
met, f is said to be discontinuous at x = c.
1
Example 1. Consider the function 𝑓 𝑥 = . Is the
𝑥
function continuous at x=2?
Solution:
1
(i) 𝑓 2 =
2
1 lim 1 1
(ii)lim = 𝑥→2
=
𝑥→2 𝑥 lim 𝑥
𝑥→2
2
1 1 lim 1 1
(iii) 𝑓 2 = and lim = 𝑥→2
= . Therefore,
2 𝑥→2 𝑥 lim 𝑥 2
𝑥→2
f c = lim 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→𝑐
1
So, we can say that, the function 𝑓 𝑥 = is
𝑥
continuous at x=2.
Example 2. Determine if 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥3 + 𝑥2 − 2 is
continuous at x=1.
Solution:
3 2
(i) 𝑓 1 = (1) +(1) −2 = 0
(ii) lim 𝑥3 + 𝑥2 − 2 = (𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑚),
𝑥→1
we have 0.
(iii) 𝑓 1 = 0 and lim 𝑥3 + 𝑥2 − 2 = 0. Therefore,
𝑥→1
f c = lim 𝑓(𝑥).
𝑥→𝑐
We can say that, the function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥3 + 𝑥2 − 2 is
continuous at x=1.
Continuity of a function on an
interval
A function can be continuous on an interval.
This simply means that it is continuous at
every point on the interval.
Let’s begin our discussion with two
concepts which are important in
determining whether a function is
continuous at the endpoints of closed
intervals.
One-sided continuity
A function f is said to be continuous from
the left at x = c if
𝑓 𝑐 = lim− 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→𝑐
A function f is said to be continuous from
the right at x = c if
𝑓 𝑐 = lim+ 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→𝑐
Here are known facts on continuities of
functions on intervals:
Continuity of polynomial, absolute value
and rational and square root functions
Polynomial functions are continuous
everywhere.
The absolute value function f (x) = |x| is
continuous everywhere.
Rational functions are continuous on their
respective domains.
Here are definitions that will help us determine if the function
is continuous or not on an interval
A function f is said to be continuous...
1. everywhere if f is continuous at every real number. In this
case, we also say f
2. is continuous on R.
3. on (a, b) if f is continuous at every point x in (a, b).
4. on [a, b) if f is continuous on (a, b) and from the right at a.
5. on (a, b] if f is continuous on (a, b) and from the left at b.
6. on [a, b] if f is continuous on (a, b] and on [a, b). (f) on (a,
1) if f is continuous at all x> a.
7. on [a, 1) if f is continuous on (a, 1) and from the right at a.
8. on (—1, b) if f is continuous at all x< b.
9. on (—1, b] if f is continuous on (—1, b) and from the left
at b.
Example 1. Determine the largest interval over which
the function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 2 is continuous.
Solution:
Observe that the function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 2 has
function values only if x +2 ≤ 0, that is, if x ∈2 [—
2,+∞). For all c∈ 2 (—2, +∞),
f (c) = 𝑐 + 2 =lim 𝑥 + 2
𝑥→𝑐
Moreover, f is continuous from the right at -2 because
𝑓 𝑐 = 0 = lim+ 𝑥 + 2
𝑥→2
Therefore, for all x∈ [—2, +∞), the function 𝑓 𝑥 =
𝑥 + 2 is continuous.
Example 2. Determine the largest interval
𝑥
which the function 𝑓 𝑥 = 2 is continuous.
𝑥 −1
Solution:
Observe that the given rational function
𝑥
𝑓 𝑥 = 2 is not defined at x=1 and x= -1.
𝑥 −1
Hence the domain of f is the set real numbers
except -1 and 1 “R\{-1,1}”. Recall that a rational
function is continuous on its domain. Hence, f
is continuous over R\{-1,1}.

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