The Maquiling School, Inc.

Senior High School Department

College, Los Bańos Laguna

BASIC CALCULUS
2nd Semester SY 2020-2021

MODULE 1: Limits and Continuity

Name: _____________________________________ LRN: __________________________

Grade Level: ____________ Strand: _____________ Class Code: ____________________
 MODULE 1: Limits and Continuity
UNIT 1.1

Limit of a Function

The main focus of Calculus is to study haw things change. Real-life situations can be modeled using functions.
Calculus provides a way to investigate the effects of these situations which deal with change. This involves
differentiation and integration. The main tool in studying the derivatives is the concept of limits.

Suppose we want to graph the function f(x)=2x+1. We use a table of values and include the intercepts, if there
are any, in the table. We illustrate the table below

x -6 -3 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 4 5
f(x) -11 -5 -1 0 1 2 3 9 11

This function is linear and has slope 2. The graph is shown below

Now consider the function . If we factor the numerator, we obtain

What happens to the y-values as the x-values get closer to ?

What is the difference between the graphs of the functions and ?

x 4 4.1 4.5 4.9 4.999 4.99999 5 5.00001 5.01 5.1 5.5 6

2x+1, x
9 9.2 10 10.8 10.998 10.99998 undefined 11.00002 11.02 11.2 12 13
is not 5

As the x-values approaches 5 from both directions, the y-values approaches 11. The points approach (5, 11)
but the point is not defined.

Definition:
Let f(x) be defined for all other x in some open interval I containing x. The function f(x) may or may not be
defined at x=c. The limit of f(x) as x approaches c is equal to the number L, written as

If we can make the values of f(x) arbitrarily close to L by taking x values sufficiently close to c, on either side of
x=c, but not equal to c.

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Left-hand limit: ( means x approaches c from the left)

Right-hand limit: ( means x approaches c from the right)

Now, exists if and only if

If the left-hand limit and the right hand limit are not the same, then the limit does not exist.

Example:

Consider the function . Let c=2.

The graph of this function shows that coming from the left and the right, the values of y as x approaches to 2 is
both 8. Hence,

Consider the piecewise function ,

Take note that the value is defined at x=-1.

The question is, does the limit exist at x=-1?

We get the following limits:

Since , then the limit does not exist.

UNIT 1.2

The Limit Theorem

It is not easy to evaluate the limit of the function from the graph or the table of values.

Limit Theorem

Suppose that c is a real number and that and both exist.

1. Limit of the identity function

2. Constant Rule

3. Sum Rule: The limit of the sum of two functions is the sum of their limits.

4. Difference Rule: The limit of the difference of two functions is the difference of their limits.

5. Product Rule: The limit of the product of two functions is the product of their limits.

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 6. Product of a constant and a function: The constant k can be factored outside the limit.

7. Quotient Rule: The limit of the quotient of two functions is the quotient of their limits, except if the limit of
the denominator is zero.

8. Power Rule: The limit of the sum of two functions is the sum of their limits.

9. Power Function Rule: The limit of an nth power of a function is the nth power of the limit of the function,
where n is a positive integer.
* +

10. Radical Rule:

√ √

11. Radical Function Rule: The limit of an nth root of a function is the nth root of the limit of the function,
where n is a positive integer, and if n is even.
√ √
12. Direct Substitution Property: If f(x) is a polynomial or a rational function and c is in the domain of f, then

13. Rational Power Rule: Let m and n be integers with no common factor and n is not zero.

* +

Some Examples:

Using Limit Theorem 1

Using Limit Theorem 2
Using Limit Theorem 3
Using Limit Theorem 1 and 2
√ √ Using Limit Theorem 4

√ Using Limit Theorem 1 and 2

Indeterminate Form 0/0

If and , then is called an indeterminate form 0/0.

If we get an indeterminate form 0/0, we need to write the numerator and denominator so we can obtain a
new form. We could employ techniques such as factoring or multiplying with conjugates or finding the LCD.

UNIT 1.3

Infinite Limits and Limits at Infinity

Consider , where x is not zero. We want to determine the behavior of the y-values as the values of x
become very close to 0 through positive real numbers and through negative real numbers.

We denote this as the one-sided limits, one approaching from the right and the other from the left:

and

Let us make a table of values where we choose x values very close to 0.

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 x -0.0001 -0.001 -0.01 -0.1 0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1
F(x)=1/x -10 000 -1 000 -100 -10 10 000 1 000 100 10
As x approaches 0 from the right, the y-values become very large and increase without bound.

As x approaches 0 from the left, the y-values decrease without bound. Therefore we write,

Infinite Limit Theorem 1

Let n be any positive integer. Then,

 {

Infinite Limit Theorem 2

Let c be any real number. Suppose in * +, and , where k is a real
number.

a. If and through positive values, then * +

b. If and through negative values, then * +
c. If and through positive values, then * +
d. If and through negative values, then * +

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 UNIT 1.3b

Infinite Limits and Limits at Infinity

Suppose we want to determine the behavior of y=f(x) as the x-values increase without bound (x approaches
+ ) and as the x-values decrease without bound (x approaches - ). We again consider y=f(x)=1/x. We want to
find the limit of 1/x as and as . We then construct the table of values where we chose x-values
that approach positive infinity and negative infinity.

x -100 000 -10 000 -1 000 -100 100 1 000 10 000 100 000
F(x)=1/x -0.00001 -0.0001 -0.001 -0.01 0.01 0.001 0.0001 0.00001
We note that the values of 1/x get very close to zero as the x-values approach positive infinity and
negative infinity. We write this limit notation as

We refer to these limits as limits at infinity.

Limit at Infinity Theorem 1

Let r be any positive integer. Then,

a.

b.
Limit at Infinity Theorem 2

Let n be a positive real number and k, any real number except zero. Then,

a.

b.

c. {

d. {

Limit at Infinity Theorem 3

Let where f(x) and g(x) are polynomials.

a. If the degree of f(x) is less than the degree of g(x), then

b. If the degree of f(x) is equal to the degree of g(x), and a is the leading coefficient of f(x) and b
is the leading coefficient of g(x), then

c. If the degree of f(x) is greater than the degree of g(x), then

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Examples:

Find the limit.

a. By limit at Infinity Theorem 1a, the limit is 0.

b. By limit at Infinity Theorem 2a, the limit is 0.
c. By limit at Infinity Theorem 2c, the limit is .
d. By limit at Infinity Theorem 2d, the limit is .
e. We factor out the highest-degree term from the numerator and the
denominator. Then apply Limit Theorems and Limit at Infinity.
( )

( )

Since , , and

UNIT 1.4

Limits of Trigonometric, Exponential, and Logarithmic Functions

Limit Theorems of Trigonometric Functions

Let c be a real number in the domain of the given function. Then,

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Other Trigonometric Limit Theorems

7.
8.
9.

Examples:

Evaluate

Solution: We use the Direct Substitution property to obtain

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Examples:

Evaluate .

Solution: We apply the Limit Theorems particularly the direct Substitution property to get

( ) ( )

(√ )

Examples:

Evaluate .

Solution: We multiply and divide the numerator by 2x and multiply and divide the denominator by 7x,
to obtain

( )

( )

By Trigonometric Limit Theorem 7, and

Limit Laws of Exponential and Logarithmic Functions

1. If b>1, then

2. If 0<b<1, then

3. If b>1, then

4. If b>1, then

We can extend these limits when the base is the number e. Since e>1, then

5.
6.

We now state the limit definitions for the number

1.
2.
3. ( )

Reference:

Domingo (2016). “Limits and Continuity”. Math Activated: Engage Yourself and Our World, Basic Calculus,
Salesiana Books by Don Bosco Press Inc. pp.4-58

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 Student Name: Score:

Date:

Exercise 1.1

A. Consider the piecewise function { , determine the following:

 

 

  Does exists?

 

 

Exercise 1.2

A. Evaluate the limits

1.

2.

3.

4.

5. √

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Exercise 1.3

A. Evaluate

B. Evaluate

C. Evaluate

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Exercise 1.3b

A. Evaluate the following limits at infinity.

a. Evaluate

b. Evaluate

c. Evaluate

d. Evaluate

e. Evaluate

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Exercise 1.4

A. Evaluate the following limits for trigonometric functions.

a. Evaluate

b. Evaluate

c. Evaluate

d. Evaluate

e. Evaluate

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