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Lesson 3 Continuity of Functions Handout

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35 views22 pages

Lesson 3 Continuity of Functions Handout

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borascaezekiel21
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Lesson 3: Continuity of

Functions
Basic Calculus
Leyte National High School, Senior High School
Second Semester, SY 2019-2020
PPT Slides by Benjie G. Arias
Lesson objectives
1. Illustrate continuity of a function at a point;
2. Determine whether a function is continuous at a point or not;
3. Illustrate continuity of a function on an interval; and
4. Determine whether a function is continuous on an interval or
not.
LESSON OUTLINE
1. Continuity at a point
2. Determining whether a function is continuous or not at a point
3. Continuity on an interval
4. Determining whether a function is continuous or not on an
interval
TOPIC 3.1: Continuity at a Point
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) 𝒊𝒔 𝑵𝑶𝑻 𝑵𝑬𝑪𝑬𝑺𝑺𝑨𝑹𝑰𝑳𝒀
𝒙→𝒄
𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝒇 𝒄 .

TOPIC 3.1: Continuity at a Point


Is the graph continuous at 𝑥 = 1?

C𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝒙 = 𝟏 Not 𝐜𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝒙 = 𝟏


TOPIC 3.1: Continuity at a Point
Is the graph continuous at 𝑥 =0?

Not 𝐜𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝒙 = 𝟎

TOPIC 3.1: Continuity at a Point


What do you say about continuity of a
function at a point?
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.
3 2
Determine if 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 𝑥 − 2 is
continuous or not at 𝑥 = 1.
Solution. Check the 3 conditions for continuity of a function.
(i) If 𝑥 = 1, then 𝑓 1 = 0.
(ii) 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑙𝑖𝑚 (𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2 − 2) = 13 + 12 − 2 = 0.
𝑥→1 𝑥→1
(iii) 𝑓 1 = 0 = lim 𝑓(𝑥).
𝑥→1

Therefore, 𝑓 is continuous at 𝑥 = 1.
𝑥 2 −𝑥−2
Determine if 𝑓 𝑥 = is continuous or
𝑥−2
not at 𝑥 = 2.
Solution. Check the 3 conditions for continuity of a function.
(i) If 𝑥 = 2, then 𝑓 2 = ∞.
𝑥 2 −𝑥−2 (𝑥−2)(𝑥+1)
(ii) 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥−2 = = 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑥 + 1 = 3
𝑥→2 𝑥→2 (𝑥−2) 𝑥→2
(iii) 𝑓(2) ≠ lim 𝑓(𝑥).
𝑥→2

Therefore, 𝑓 is discontinuous at 𝑥 = 2.
Determine if 𝑓 𝑥 is continuous or not at
𝑥 = 4.
𝑥+1 if 𝑥 < 4
𝑓(𝑥) = 2
𝑥−4 +3 if 𝑥 ≥ 4

Solution. Check the 3 conditions for continuity of a function.


(i) If 𝑥 = 4, then 𝑓 4 = 3.
(ii)The 𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝑓 𝑥 does not exist
𝑥→4
(iii) 𝑓(4) ≠ lim 𝑓(𝑥).
𝑥→4
Therefore, 𝑓 is discontinuous at 𝑥 =4.
Determine if 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 − 1 is continuous or
not at 𝑥 = 4.
Exercise 3.1
Topic 3.2: Continuity on an Interval
Example 1: Given the graph of the function 𝑓 below,
determine if 𝑓 is continuous on the following intervals:
a. (−1, 1) b. (−∞, 0) c. (0, +∞)
Solution
a. We can trace the graph from the right
side of 𝑥 = −1 to the left side of 𝑥 = 1
without lifting the pen we are using.
Hence, 𝑓 is continuous on the interval
(−1, 1).
b. If we trace the graph from any
negatively large number up to the left
side of 0, we will not lift our pen and so
𝑓 is continuous on (−∞, 0).
c. If we trace the graph from the right side
of 0 to any large number, we will find
out that we won’t lift our pen, hence, 𝑓
is continuous on (0, +∞).
Example 2: Using the graph below, determine if the
function ℎ is continuous on the following intervals:
a. (−1, 1) b. [0.5, 2]
Solution
a. If we trace the graph of ℎ from the
right side of 𝑥 = −1 to the left side of
𝑥 = 1, we will be interrupted by a
hole when we reach 𝑥 = 0 (meaning,
ℎ is not defined at 𝑥 = 0). Thus, ℎ is
not continuous on −1, 1 .
b. If we trace the graph from 𝑥 = 0.5 to
𝑥 = 2, we do not have to lift the pen
at all. Thus, ℎ is continuous on
[0.5, 2].
If a function is given without a corresponding graph, we must find
other means to determine of the function is continuous or not on an
interval. Here are definitions that help us:
Example 3: 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, +∞). For all 𝑐 ∈ [−2, +∞),
𝑓 𝑐 = 𝑥 + 2 = lim 𝑥 + 2
𝑥→𝑐
Moreover, 𝑓 is continuous from the right at −2 because
𝑓 −2 = 0 = lim + 𝑥 + 2
𝑥→−2
Therefore, for all 𝑥 ∈ [−2, +∞), the function 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 2 is
continuous.
Example 4: Determine the largest interval over
𝑥
which the function h(𝑥) = 2 is continuous.
𝑥 −1
Solution:
𝑥
• Observe that the given rational function 𝑓(𝑥) = 2 is not
𝑥 −1
defined at 𝑥 = 1 and 𝑥 = −1.
• The domain of h is 𝑥 ∈ ℝ|𝑥 ≠ ±1 , or
(−∞, −1)⋃(−1,1)⋃(1,+∞)
• The rational function is continuous in its domain.
• Hence, the largest interval that ℎ is continuous is at
intervals −∞, −1 and (1, +∞).
Example 5: Consider the function
𝑔(𝑥), determine if g is continuous on
(0,1]? On (4, ∝)?
Solution: Since g is a piecewise function, we just look at the ‘piece’ of
the function corresponding to the interval specified.

Thus, 𝑔 is continuous on (0,1].


Exercise 3.2.
ENJOY LEARNING… 

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