Lesson-3-Continuity of A Function
Lesson-3-Continuity of A Function
Lesson-3-Continuity of A Function
CONTINUITY OF A FUNCTION
OBJECTIVES:
The figure above illustrates the The figure above illustrates that the limit
function not defined at x=c, coming from the right and left both exist
which violates the first condition. but are not equal, thus the two-sided limit
does not exist which violates the second
condition. This kind of discontinuity is called
jump discontinuity.
The figure above illustrates that the limit The figure above illustrates the function
coming from the right and left of c are both defined at c and that the limit coming from
infinite, thus the two-sided limit does not the right and left of c both exist thus the two
violates the second condition.
exist which sided limit exist. But
which violates the third ) lim f ( x )
f ( ccondition.
This kind of discontinuity is called infinite xc
Solution:
y
x
x
REMOVABLE DISCONTINUITY
Test for continuity :
1. f 3 is defined and is equal to 2
x2 x 6
2. lim f ( x ) lim
x 3 x 3 x3
lim
x 3x 2
x 3 x3
lim x 2
x 3
32 5
3. lim f ( x ) 5 and f ( 3 ) 2
x 3
-1 1 x
INFINITE DISCONTINUITY
EXAMPLE 4: Determine whether the function is continuous at x 2 ;
x2 4
given f ( x)
x2
y
y f(x)
f(x)
x 2 x 2
x 2
f(x) x2
4
f ( 2 ) 2 2 4 ; but x 2
x thus f ( x ) is undefined at x 2
2 and hence discontinuous at x 2
EXAMPLE 5: Determine whether the function is continuous at x 2 ;
x2 4
, x2
given g ( x) x 2
3, x2
y
y g( x )
g( x )
x 2 x 2
x 2
g( x ) x 2
lim g ( x ) lim g ( x ) 4
x2 x2
4 thus lim g ( x ) 4
3 x2
g( 2 ) 3
x sin ce the lim g ( x ) g ( 2 )
2 x2
hence discontinuous at x 2
Removable Discontinuity
EXAMPLE 6: Determine whether the function is continuous at x 2 ;
x2 4
, x2
given h( x) x 2
4, x2
y
h( x )
x 2 x 2
x 2
h( x ) x 2
lim h( x ) lim h( x ) 4
x2 x2
4 thus lim h( x ) 4
x2
h( 2 ) 4
sin ce the lim h( x ) h( 2 )
x2
2 x
hence continuous at x 2
EXAMPLE 7:
SQUEEZE THEOREM
LIMITS OF FUNCTIONS USING THE SQUEEZE PRINCIPLE
The Squeeze Principle is used on limit problems where the usual algebraic
methods (factoring, conjugation, algebraic manipulation, etc.) are not effective.
However, it requires that you be able to ``squeeze'' your problem in between
two other ``simpler'' functions whose limits are easily computable and equal.
The use of the Squeeze Principle requires accurate analysis, algebra skills, and
careful use of inequalities. The method of squeezing is used to prove that
f(x)→L as x→c by “trapping or squeezing” f between two functions, g and h,
whose limits as x→c are known with certainty to be L.
SQUEEZE PRINCIPLE :