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Limits, Continuity, and Derivatives Tutorial

This tutorial focuses on limits, continuity, asymptotes, and differentiation using first principles. It includes exercises on calculating limits, determining the continuity of a piecewise function, finding asymptotes, calculating derivatives, and analyzing the motion of a dropped object. Additionally, it explores the rate of change in crude oil imports over time.

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ndlangisaanathi12
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8 views2 pages

Limits, Continuity, and Derivatives Tutorial

This tutorial focuses on limits, continuity, asymptotes, and differentiation using first principles. It includes exercises on calculating limits, determining the continuity of a piecewise function, finding asymptotes, calculating derivatives, and analyzing the motion of a dropped object. Additionally, it explores the rate of change in crude oil imports over time.

Uploaded by

ndlangisaanathi12
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

University of Cape Town MAM1010S

Tutorial 5 2025
Limits and continuity, asymptotes, rates of change,
differentiation by first principles

THROUGHOUT THIS TUTORIAL, USE FIRST PRINCIPLES FOR CALCULATING


DERIVATIVES.

1. Calculate the following limits (if they exist):

(a) lim (5x2 + 3x − 2) 2h2 − 6h + 1


x→0 (e) lim √
h→0 5−h
2
(b) lim x + x3 − 4x5
b→0 6 + 2b
(f) lim
x2 − 5x + 6 x→0 2x3 − x2 + 4x
(c) lim
x→3 x−3 (g) lim+ ln a
a→0
2
2x − 13x − 7 2
(d) lim
x→7 49 − x2 lim e−x
(h) x→∞

2. Is the following piecewise-defined function continuous? Prove your answer by investigat-


ing the function in the region of the x-values at which the function formula changes:

x+1


 for x < −1
2
−x + 1 for − 1 ≤ x ≤ 3

g(x) =
 1

 for x > 3
x−3

3. For each of the following functions, find any vertical or horizontal asymptotes that the
graph would have:
x−1
(a) f (x) =
x
2x2 + 5
(b) g(x) = 2
x −9
x2 + 1
(c) h(x) =
x−1

1
4. Calculate the derivatives of the following functions, then determine the domain of the
derivative function in each case.

(a) f (x) = x3 − 2x
1
(b) g(x) =
2x + 1
√
(c) s(x) = x
√
(d) p(x) = 2x − 5
x−2
(e) q(x) =
x+1
(f) r(x) = mx + b

5. Given each function and point a, find the equation of the tangent to the function at x = a
(using the derivatives found in the previous question):

(a) f (x) = x3 − 2x at a = 5
1
(b) g(x) = at a = 1
2x + 1
√
(c) s(x) = x at a = 100

6. You are visiting the world’s tallest building and wonder what would happen if you drop
your phone from a balcony that is at a height of 400 meters. Suppose, if it is dropped, the
phone’s height after t seconds would be given by the function f (t) = 400 − 16t2 .

(a) Find what the phone’s average velocity would be over the period [2, 4].
(b) Estimate what the phone’s instantaneous velocity would be at 4 seconds.

7. A certain country imports crude oil from overseas. The number of barrels (in thousands)
imported is modeled by the function

I(t) = −39t3 + 800t − 3000,

where t is time (in years) since 2000. At what rate were imports changing at the beginning
of 2012 (i.e. at t = 12)?

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