Overview of Problems

x 2 3x + 2 x3 + x2 + x + 1
1 lim 2 lim
x 2
x x3 + 3x2 + 5x + 2
Solved Problems on Limits x 2

3 lim x 2 + 1 x 2 1 4 lim x 2 + x + 1 x 2 x 1
and Continuity x

2x
x

sin ( 3 x )
5 lim 6 lim
x 0
2x 2 + x + 1 x 2 3 x + 1 x 0 6x
( )
sin x 2
7 sin ( sin ( x ) ) 8 lim
x 0 x sin ( x )
lim
x 0 x
x + 2sin ( x ) tan ( x )
9 lim 10 lim e
x 2 + 2 sin ( x ) + 1 sin2 ( x ) x + 1
x 0
x +
2

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

Overview of Problems Main Methods of Limit Computations

11 Where y = tan ( x ) is continuous? 1 The following undefined quantities cause problems:
0
1 00 , , , , 0 , 0.
12 Where f ( ) = sin 2 is continuous? 0
1 In the evaluation of expressions, use the rules
x2 x 2
13 How must f ( 0 ) be determined so that f ( x ) = , x 0,
x 1 a
is continuous at x = 0? = 0, = , (negative number ) = .
positive number
14 Which of the following functions have removable
If the function, for which the limit needs to be computed, is
singularities at the indicated points? 3
defined by an algebraic expression, which takes a finite value
x 2x 8
2
x 1 at the limit point, then this finite value is the limit value.
a) f (x) = , x0 = 2, b) g( x ) = , x0 = 1
x+2 x 1
If the function, for which the limit needs to be computed,
1 4
c) h ( t ) = t sin , t0 = 0 cannot be evaluated at the limit point (i.e. the value is an
t undefined expression like in (1)), then find a rewriting of the
15 Show that the equation sin ( x ) = e x has many solutions. function to a form which can be evaluated at the limit point.

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

1
Main Computation Methods Continuity of Functions
1 Frequently needed rule ( a + b) ( a b) = a 2
b .
2
1
Functions defined by algebraic or elementary expressions
involving polynomials, rational functions, trigonometric
Cancel out common factors of rational functions. functions, exponential functions or their inverses are
2
x 2 1 ( x 1) ( x + 1)
continuous at points where they take a finite well defined
= = x + 1
x 1
2. value.
x 1 x 1
3 If a square root appears in the expression, then multiply and A function f is continuous at a point x = a if
2
divide by the conjugate of the square root expression. lim f ( x ) = f ( a) .
x a
Used to show

x +1 x 2 =
( x +1 x +2 )( x +1 + x 2 ) The following are not continuous x = 0:
that equations
have solutions.
x +1 + x 2 3 1 1 x
f ( x ) = , g ( x ) = sin ,h ( x ) = .
=
( x + 1) ( x 2 ) =
3
0
x x x
x
x +1 + x 2 x +1 + x +2
4 Intermediate Value Theorem for Continuous Functions
sin ( x )
4 Use the fact that lim = 1. If f is continuous, f(a) < 0 and f(b) > 0, then there is a point
x 0 x c between a and b so that f(c) = 0.

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

Limits by Rewriting Limits by Rewriting

x 3x + 2
2
x3 + x2 + x + 1
Problem 1 lim Problem 2 lim
x 2 x 2 x x3 + 3x 2 + 5x + 2

x 2 3 x + 2 ( x 1)( x 2 )
Solution Rewrite = = x 1. Solution
x 2 x 2
x 2 3x + 2 1 1 1
Hence lim = lim ( x 1) = 1. x3 + x2 + x + 1
1+ + +
x 2 x2 x 2
= x x 2 x 3 1.
x
x 3 + 3x 2 + 5x + 2 1+ 3 + 5 2
+ 3
2
x x x

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

2
Limits by Rewriting Limits by Rewriting
Problem 3 lim x 2 + 1 x 2 1 Problem 4 lim x 2 + x + 1 x 2 x 1
x x

Solution Rewrite
Solution Rewrite

( x2 + 1 x2 1 )( x2 + 1 + x2 1 ) x2 + x + 1 x2 x 1 =
x2 + 1 x2 1 =
x + 1 + x2 1
2
( x2 + x + 1 x2 x 1 ) x2 + x + 1 + x2 x 1
x2 + x + 1 + x2 x 1
(x ) ( )=
( ) ( ) + x + 1 x2 x 1
2
2 2
2x + 2
=
x2 + 1 x2 1
=
(x 2
) (
+ 1 x2 1 )= 2 =
x2 + x + 1 + x2 x 1 x2 + x + 1 + x2 x 1
x +1+ x 1
2 2
x +1+ x 1
2 2
x +1+ x 1
2 2
2
2+ Next divide by x.
2 = x 2
Hence lim x + 1 x 1 = lim 2 2
= 0. 1 1 1 1
x
x x
x2 + 1 + x2 1 1+ + 2 + 1 2
x x x x

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

Limits by Rewriting Limits by Rewriting

2x
Problem 5 lim sin ( 3 x )
x 0
2x 2 + x + 1 x 2 3 x + 1 Problem 6 lim
x 0 6x
Solution Rewrite
2x
= sin ( )
2x 2 + x + 1 x 2 3x + 1 Solution Use the fact that lim = 1.
0
2x ( 2x + x + 1 + x 3 x + 1
2 2
) sin ( 3 x ) 1 sin ( 3 x )
( 2x 2 + x + 1 x 2 3 x + 1 )( 2x 2 + x + 1 + x 2 3 x + 1 ) Rewrite
6x
=
2 3x

=
2x ( ) = 2x (
2x 2 + x + 1 + x 2 3 x + 1 2x 2 + x + 1 + x 2 3 x + 1) sin ( 3 x ) sin ( 3 x ) 1
= 1, we conclude that lim =
( 2x + x + 1) ( x 3 x + 1)
2 2
x2 + 4x Since lim .
2 2 x 0 3x x 0 6x 2
2 ( 2 x + x + 1 + x 3 x + 1)
2 2 Next divide by x.
= 1 x 0
x+4

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

3
Limits by Rewriting Limits by Rewriting
sin ( sin ( x ) ) lim
( )
sin x 2
Problem 7 Problem 8
lim
x 0 x
x 0 x sin ( x )

Solution Rewrite: Solution Rewrite:

sin ( sin ( x ) ) sin ( sin ( x ) ) sin ( x )

x
=
sin ( x ) x

x 0
1 sin x 2( ) = sin ( x ) 2
x
1
x sin ( x ) x2 sin ( x ) x 0
sin ( )
since lim = 1. In the above, that fact
0
was applied first by substituting = sin ( x ) .
sin ( sin ( x ) )
Hence lim = 1.
x 0 sin ( x )

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

Limits by Rewriting Limits by Rewriting

Problem 9 x + 2 sin ( x ) x + 2 sin ( x )
lim Problem 9 lim
x 0
x 2 + 2 sin ( x ) + 1 sin2 ( x ) x + 1 Solution x 0
x 2 + 2 sin ( x ) + 1 sin2 ( x ) x + 1
Solution Rewrite (contd) Rewrite
x + 2 sin ( x ) x + 2 sin ( x )
=
x 2 + 2 sin ( x ) + 1 sin2 ( x ) x + 1 x 2 + 2 sin ( x ) + 1 sin2 ( x ) x + 1

( x + 2 sin ( x ) ) ( x + 2 sin ( x ) + 1 + sin ( x ) x + 1

2 2
) ( x + 2 sin ( x ) ) ( x 2 + 2sin ( x ) + 1 + sin2 ( x ) x + 1 ) Next divide by x.
=
( )( ) x sin2 ( x ) + 2 sin ( x ) + x
2
x 2 + 2 sin ( x ) + 1 sin2 ( x ) x + 1 x 2 + 2 sin ( x ) + 1 + sin2 ( x ) x + 1
sin ( x )
( x + 2 sin ( x )) ( x 2 + 2 sin ( x ) + 1 + sin2 ( x ) x + 1 )

1 + 2
x
( x 2 + 2sin ( x ) + 1 + sin2 ( x ) x + 1 ) 32
= = = 2.
sin ( x ) sin ( x )
(x ) (
+ 2 sin ( x ) + 1 sin2 ( x ) x + 1 )
x 0
2 +1
x sin ( x )
2
+2 +1

( x + 2 sin ( x )) ( )
x x
x 2 + 2 sin ( x ) + 1 + sin2 ( x ) x + 1
= Here we used the fact that all sin(x)/x terms approach 1 as x 0.
x 2 sin2 ( x ) + 2 sin ( x ) + x

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

4
One-sided Limits Continuity
tan( x )
Problem 10 lim e Problem 11 Where the function y = tan ( x ) is continuous?

x +
2

Solution

Solution
sin ( x )
The function y = tan ( x ) = is continuous whenever cos ( x ) 0.
cos ( x )

For < x < , tan ( x ) < 0 and lim tan ( x ) = .
2 x +
Hence y = tan ( x ) is continuous at x + n , n .
2 2
tan( x )
Hence lim e = 0.

x +
2

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

Continuity Continuity
1
Problem 12 Where the function f ( ) = sin 2 is continuous? Problem 13 How must f ( 0 ) be determined so that the function
1
x2 x
f (x) = , x 0, is continuous at x = 0 ?
1 x 1
Solution The function f ( ) = sin 2 is continuous at all points
1
where it takes finite values. Solution

1 1
If = 1, 2 is not finite, and sin 2 is undefined.
Condition for continuity of a function f at a point x0 is:
1 1
lim f ( x ) = f ( x0 ) . Hence f ( 0 ) must satisfy f ( 0 ) = lim f ( x ) .
1 1 x x0 x 0
If 1, 2 is finite, and sin 2 is defined and also finite.
1 1 x2 x x ( x 1)
Hence f ( 0 ) = lim = lim = lim x = 0.
x 0 x 1 x 1
1 x 0 x 0
Hence sin 2 is continuous for 1.
1

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

5
Continuity
A number x0 for which an expression f ( x ) either is undefined or
infinite is called a singularity of the function f . The singularity is
said to be removable, if f ( x0 ) can be defined in such a way that
the function f becomes continous at x = x0 .
Problem 14 Which of the following functions have removable
singularities at the indicated points? Answer
Continuity
Problem 15 Show that the equation sin ( x ) = e x has
inifinitely many solutions.
Solution sin ( x ) = e x f ( x ) = sin ( x ) e x = 0.
By the intermediate Value Theorem, a continuous function takes
any value between any two of its values. I.e. it suffices to show
that the function f changes its sign infinitely often.
Observe that 0 < e x < 1 for x < 0, and that sin + n = ( 1) , n .
n

x 2 2x 8 2
f (x) = , x 0 = 2 Removable
Hence f ( x ) < 0 for x = + n if n is an odd negative number
a)
x +2
2
x 1
g( x ) = , x0 = 1 Not removable
and f ( x ) > 0 for x = + n if n is an even negative number.
b)
x 1
2

c)
1
h ( t ) = t sin , t 0 = 0 Removable We conclude that every interval + 2n , + ( 2n + 1) , n and n < 0, contains
t 2 2
a solution of the original equation. Hence there are infinitely many solutions.

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity

Calculators Mika Seppl: Limits and Continuity