MOUNT CARMEL SCHOOL OF INFANTA

POB. 38, INFANTA, QUEZON

Basic Calculus
Teacher:
Ms. Agnes M. Grajo
Week 3
Competencies
❑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
❑Determine whether a function is
continuous on an interval or not
A function f(x) is said to be continuous at a point x=c
if the following three conditions are satisfied:
➢ The function is defined at x=c :
f(c) exists, meaning the function has a value at x=c.
➢ The limit exists as x approaches c:
lim 𝑓 𝑥 exists. The left-hand limit (lim 𝑓 𝑥 ) and right-hand limit
𝑥→𝑐 𝑥→𝑐 −
(lim 𝑓 𝑥 ) must both exist and be equal.
𝑥→𝑐 +
➢ The value of the function matches the limit:
lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑓(𝑐).
𝑥→𝑐

If all three conditions are met, the function is continuous at x=c.

Example 1: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 at x=2
Step 1: f(2) is defined.
𝑓 2 = 𝑥 2 = 22 = 4
Step 2: 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) exists.
𝒙→𝟐
The function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 is smooth and well-defined for all x,
so the limit from both sides equals 4:
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟒
𝒙→𝟐
Step 3: 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝟐)
𝒙→𝟐
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟒 = 𝒇(𝟐)
𝒙→𝟐

Therefore, 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 is continuous at x=2.

 𝑥 2 −4
Example 2: 𝑓 𝑥 = at x=2
𝑥−2
Step 1: f(2) is undefined.
Substituting x=2:
𝑥 2 − 4 22 − 4 0
𝑓 2 = = =
𝑥−2 2−2 0
The function is undefined at x=2.
Since the first condition is not satisfied,
f(x) is not continuous at x=2.
 Continuity at a Number
A function f(x) is said to be continuous at the
number a if all the following three conditions
are satisfied.
a.f(a) exist If any one or more
of the three
b. lim 𝑓 𝑥 exist conditions fail,
𝑥→𝑎 the function f(x)
c. lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑓(𝑎) is said to be
discontinuous at a
𝑥→𝑎
number a.
 Example 1
Determine whether 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟒𝒙𝟐 + 𝒙 − 𝟐 is continuous at x = 1.
SOLUTIONS

b. lim 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟒𝒙𝟐 + 𝒙 − 𝟐

a. 𝒇 𝟏 = 𝟒𝒙𝟐 + 𝒙 − 𝟐 𝑥→𝑎
𝟐
= 𝟒(𝟏) +(𝟏) − 𝟐 = 𝟒(𝟏)𝟐 +(𝟏) − 𝟐
=𝟑 =𝟑

c. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒇(𝟏)
𝒙→𝟏
The three conditions are satisfied. The functions is continuous at x =1
 Example 2
𝒙𝟐 −𝟗
Determine whether 𝐟 𝐱 =
𝒙−𝟑
is continuous at

1. x = 0 2. x = 2 3. x = 3
 Example 2
𝒙𝟐 −𝟗
Determine whether 𝐟 𝐱 = is continuous at
𝒙−𝟑

1. x = 0 SOLUTIONS
𝒙𝟐 −𝟗 𝒙𝟐 −𝟗 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒙𝟐 −𝟗 c. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒇(𝟎)
a. 𝐟 𝐱 = b. 𝒍𝒊𝒎 = 𝒙→𝟎 𝒙→𝟎
𝒙−𝟑 𝒙→𝟎 𝒙−𝟑 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒙−𝟑 The three conditions
𝒙→𝟎
(𝟎)𝟐 −𝟗 are satisfied.
𝐟 𝟎 = lim 𝑥 2 −lim 9
𝟎−𝟑
−9 = 𝑥→0 𝑥→0 The functions is
= lim 𝑥−lim 3
𝑥→0 𝑥→0
continuous at x =0.
−3
=3 𝟎𝟐 −𝟗 −𝟗
= = =3
𝟎−𝟑 −𝟑
 Example𝟐 2
𝒙 −𝟗
Determine whether 𝐟 𝐱 = is continuous at
𝒙−𝟑

2. x = 2 SOLUTIONS
𝒙𝟐 −𝟗 𝑥 2 −9 lim 𝑥 2 −9 c. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒇(𝟐)
a. 𝐟 𝐱 = b. lim = 𝑥→2 𝒙→𝟐
𝒙−𝟑 𝑥→2 𝑥−3 lim 𝑥−3
𝑥→2
The three conditions
(𝟐)𝟐 −𝟗 are satisfied.
𝐟 𝟐 = lim 𝑥 2 −lim 9
𝟐−𝟑
4−9 = 𝑥→2 𝑥→2 The functions is
continuous at x =2.
= lim 𝑥−lim 3
𝑥→2 𝑥→2
−1
=5 𝟐𝟐 −𝟗 𝟒−𝟗
= = =5
𝟐−𝟑 −𝟏
 Example 2
𝒙𝟐 −𝟗
Determine whether 𝐟 𝐱 = is continuous at
𝒙−𝟑

3. x = 3 SOLUTIONS
𝒙𝟐 −𝟗 𝑥 2 −9 c. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇 𝒙 ≠ 𝒇(𝟑);
a. 𝐟 𝐱 = b. lim
𝑥→3 𝑥−3
= 𝒙→𝟑
𝒙−𝟑 Hence f (x) is
(𝟑)𝟐 −𝟗 lim (𝑥+3)(𝑥−3)
𝑥→3 discontinuous at
𝐟 𝟑 = lim 𝑥−3 x =3.
𝟑−𝟑 𝑥→3
𝟎
= = lim (𝑥 + 3)
𝟎 𝑥→3
It is = lim 𝑥 + lim 3
indeterminate 𝑥→3 𝑥→3
= 3+3 = 6
 Example : 2
Investigate the
continuity of the function.

│𝒙 + 𝟏│𝒊𝒇 𝒙 ≠ −𝟏
𝒇 𝒙 =
𝟑 𝒊𝒇 𝒙 = −𝟏
 Solution: The graph is shown below.

f(x)= x + 𝟏, 𝒙 ≠ −𝟏

X -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2

f(x) 3 2 1 0 1 2 3
 Find out if the three conditions are satisfied.

At x = -1 b. 𝐥𝐢𝐦− 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒍𝒊𝒎 − (𝒙 − 𝟏)
𝒙→−𝟏 𝒙→−𝟏−
a. 𝒇 −𝟏 = 𝟑 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 − 𝒙 − 𝒍𝒊𝒎− 𝟏
−𝟏 𝒙→−𝟏
= -(-1) – 1
b. 𝒍𝒊𝒎+ 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦+ + (𝒙 + 𝟏) = 1 -1
𝒙→−𝟏 𝒙→−𝟏
= 𝐥𝐢𝐦+ 𝒙 + 𝒍𝒊𝒎+ 𝟏 =0
𝒙→−𝟏 𝒙→−𝟏
= -1 + 1
=0 c. lim 𝑓 𝑥 ≠ 𝑓(−1)
𝑥→−1

The function is discontinuous

at x = -1
Continuity on an Open Interval
A function f(x) is continuous on an open
Interval (a,b) if it is continuous at every point on
the interval (a, b)
Continuity on a closed Interval
A function f(x) is continuous on a closed interval [a, b] if
1. It is continuous on the open interval (a,b).
2. It is continuous from the right at x = a.
a. 𝒇 𝒂 𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒔.
b. 𝒍𝒊𝒎+ 𝒇 𝒙 𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒔.
𝒙→𝒂
c. 𝐥𝐢𝐦+ 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒇(𝒂)
𝒙→𝒂
3. It is continuous from the left at x = b.
a. 𝒇 𝒃 𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒔.
b. 𝒍𝒊𝒎− 𝒇 𝒙 𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒔.
𝒙→𝒃
c. . 𝐥𝐢𝐦− 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒇(𝒙)
𝒙→𝒃
 Determine whether the following function is
continuous on the given interval
𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙𝟐 + 𝒙 − 𝟐 (−∞, ∞)

X -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
F(x) 4 0 -2 -2 0 4

Since a polynomial function is

continuous at every real
number then,
𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙𝟐 + 𝒙 − 𝟐
𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒕 (−∞, ∞)
Determine whether the following function is
continuous on the given interval
𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟗 − 𝒙𝟐 , (-3, 3)
 𝒂. 𝒇 𝟑 = 𝟗 − 𝒙𝟐 b. 𝐥𝐢𝐦− 𝒇 𝒙 = 9 − 𝑥 2 c. 𝐥𝐢𝐦− 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒇(𝟑)
𝒙→𝟑 𝒙→𝟑
= 9− 3 2
= 𝟗− 𝟑 𝟐
It is continuous
= 𝟗−𝟗 = 9−9 from the
=0 =0 left at x = 3.

𝒂. 𝒇 −𝟑 = 𝟗 − 𝒙𝟐 𝒃. 𝒍𝒊𝒎 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟗 − 𝒙𝟐 c. 𝐥𝐢𝐦+ 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒇(𝟑)

𝒙→−𝟑 + 𝒙→−𝟑
= 𝟗 − −𝟑 𝟐 = 𝟗 − −𝟑 𝟐
= 𝟗−𝟗 It is continuous from
= 𝟗−𝟗 the right at x = -3.
=0 =0

Hence, the function is continuous on

the interval (-3, 3)
 Continuity of Polynomial, Rational, and
Square Root Functions
1. A polynomial function is continuous at
every real number, it is continuous
everywhere.
2. A rational function is continuous at every
number in its domain.
3. A square root is continuous at every
number in its domain.
 Types of Discontinuity

1. Removable discontinuity
2. Jump discontinuity

3. Infinite discontinuity
1. Removable discontinuity
This discontinuity occurs when there
is a hole in the graph of the fraction.
Example 1.
Consider the given function.
𝒙
−𝟒𝟐
𝒇 𝒙 =
𝒙−𝟐
 𝑥 2 −4
b. lim
𝑥→2 𝑥−2
𝒙𝟐 −𝟒 (𝑥+2)(𝑥−2)
a. 𝒇 𝟐 = 𝒙−𝟐 = lim
𝑥→2 (𝑥−2)
𝟐𝟐 −𝟒
𝒇 𝟐 = = lim 𝑥 + 2
𝟐−𝟐 𝑥→2
𝟎 = lim 𝑥 + lim 2
𝒇 𝟐 = 𝑥→2 𝑥→2
𝟎
Indeterminate =2+2
=4
[Link] 𝑓 𝑥 ≠ 𝑓(2)
𝑥→2
Hence, the function is
discontinuous at x =2
The graph is shown below, there is a
hole in the graph.

f(x)= x + 𝟐

X 0 1 3
f(x) 2 3 5
The discontinuity of the function is removable. To
remove the discontinuity, redefine the function.

𝒙𝟐 −𝟒
f(x)= { 𝒙−𝟐 ,x≠2
𝟒 , 𝒙=𝟐

X 0 1 3
f(x) 2 3 5
2. Jump discontinuity
This discontinuity occurs when the graph
of the function stops at one point and
seems to jump at another point. In a jump
discontinuity, the left hand and the right
hand limits exist but are not equal.

Example 2.
𝟑𝒙 − 𝟐; 𝒙 < 𝟑
𝒇 𝒙 =
𝒙 − 𝟏; 𝒙 ≥ 𝟑
 b. lim− 3𝑥 − 2
a. 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙 − 𝟏 𝑥→3 b. lim+ 𝑥 − 1
= lim− 3𝑥 − lim− 2 𝑥→3
𝒇 𝟑 =𝟑−𝟏 𝑥→3 𝑥→3 = lim+ 𝑥 − lim+ 1
=2 = 3(3) – 2 𝑥→3 𝑥→3
=3–1
=9–2
=2
=7
c. lim− 𝑓(𝑥)≠ lim+ 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→3 𝑥→3
This is non-removable discontinuity.
It is not possible to redefine it.
 f(x)= 3𝒙 − 𝟐
X -1 0 1
f(x) -5 -2 1

f(x)= x − 𝟏
X 3 4 5
f(x) 2 3 4
3. Infinite discontinuity
In this type of discontinuity, at least
one of the limits is infinite.

Example 3.
𝟑
Consider the function 𝐟 𝐱 = .
𝒙−𝟐
 The first condition
𝟑
a. 𝐟 𝐱 =
𝒙−𝟐
is not satisfied.
𝟑 Therefore, the
𝐟 𝟐 = function is
𝟐−𝟐
𝟑
𝐟 𝟐 = undefined discontinuous
𝟎
at x = 2.
 Table 1
x -4 -1 0 1 1.5 1.7 1.9
f(x) -0.5 -1 -1.5 -3 -6 -10 -30

Table 2
x 6 5 4 3 2.5 2.3 2.1
f(x) 0.5 1 1.5 3 6 10 30
 Intermediate Value Theorem
In the figure below:
a. f(x) is continuous on the closed
interval [a, b]
b. 𝑓 𝑎 = 𝑦1
c. 𝑓 𝑏 = 𝑦2
❑ If the function f(x) is continuous on
the closed interval [a, b] and f(a) is
different from f(b), then for every 𝒚𝟑 that
lies between f(a) and f(b), there is at
least one number c that lies between a
and b such that 𝒇 𝒄 = 𝒚𝟑 .

The theorem says that if the function f(x) is continuous

on the interval [a, b] from point A to point B, then the
curve crosses every line 𝑦 = 𝑦3 in at least one point and
this line lies between the line 𝑦 = 𝑦1 and 𝑦 = 𝑦2 .
 (2, 9)

Illustration 1
Consider the graph
of 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙𝟑 + 𝟏 on
the closed interval
[-2,2]

(-2, -7)
 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙𝟑 + 𝟏
𝟑
𝒇 −𝟐 = (−𝟐) + 𝟏 𝟑
𝒇 𝒙 =𝒙 +𝟏
= -8 + 1 𝒇 𝟐 = (𝟐)𝟑 + 𝟏
= -7 =8+1
=9
❑ The graph is continuous on the closed
interval [-2,2] according to the
Intermediate Value Theorem, every
number d that lies between -7 and 9 has
a corresponding value c between -2 and
such 2 that f(c)= d.
Illustration 2 (5, 7)

The function
f(x)=2x-3 is
continuous on
the closed
interval [-1,5]
(-1, -5)
 1. f(x)=2x - 3 2. f(x)=2x - 3
f(-1)=2(-1)-3 f(5)=2(5) - 3
=-2 - 3 =10 - 3
=-5 =7

Since 𝑓(−1) < 𝑓(0) < 𝑓(5), then the zero of the
function is in the closed interval [-1,5].
Extreme Value Theorem
If a function f(x) is continuous on a closed
interval [a, b], then f(x) has an absolute
maximum and absolute minimum value at
some points on that closed interval.
As shown in the
figure , there
exist numbers c and d in
the closed interval [a, b],
such that the largest
value is the absolute
maximum and the
smallest value is the
absolute minimum value.
Thanks !