Unit 3: Continuity of a Function

3.3. Types of Discontinuity

Warm Up

Continuous Discontinuous

𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 3𝑥, 𝑥<2

𝑓 (𝑥) = {
𝑥 − 5, 𝑥≥2

𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 5
𝑥 + 6, 𝑥<1
𝑓(𝑥) = {
𝑥 2 + 1, 𝑥≥1

3.3. Types of Discontinuity 30

 Unit 3: Continuity of a Function
𝑥+1
𝑓 (𝑥 ) =
𝑥−1

3
𝑓 (𝑥 ) =
𝑥+1

𝑥2 − 𝑥 − 2
𝑓 (𝑥) =
𝑥−2

3.3. Types of Discontinuity 31

 Unit 3: Continuity of a Function
𝑥 − 3, 𝑥≠1
𝑓 (𝑥) = {
1, 𝑥=1

Group A Group B Group C

𝑥 − 3, 𝑥≠1 𝑥 + 6, 𝑥<1 3
𝑓(𝑥) = { 𝑓 (𝑥) = { 𝑓 (𝑥) =
1, 𝑥=1 𝑥 2 + 1, 𝑥≥1 𝑥+1

𝑥2 − 𝑥 − 2
𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥, 𝑥<2 𝑥+1
𝑥−2 𝑓(𝑥) = { 𝑓 (𝑥) =
𝑥 − 5, 𝑥≥2 𝑥−1

3.3. Types of Discontinuity 32

 Unit 3: Continuity of a Function
Guide Questions
1. Which functions are continuous?
Answer: 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 and 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 5

2. What did you consider in grouping the discontinuous functions?

Answer: Answers may vary.
Possible answers: The appearance of each graph, type of function

3. Which of the functions have holes? Which of them need to jump from one branch to
another? Which of them are asymptotic to a line?
𝑥 2 −𝑥−2 𝑥 − 3, 𝑥 ≠ 1
Answer: The functions 𝑓(𝑥) = and 𝑓 (𝑥) = { have holes.
𝑥−2 1, 𝑥 = 1
3𝑥, 𝑥 < 2 𝑥 + 6, 𝑥 < 1
The functions 𝑓 (𝑥) = { and 𝑓 (𝑥) = { 2 needs to jump
𝑥 − 5, 𝑥 ≥ 2 𝑥 + 1, 𝑥 ≥ 1
from one branch to another.
𝑥+1 3
The functions 𝑓 (𝑥) = 𝑥−1 and 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥+1 are asymptotic to a line.

Knowledge Check Questions

1. How can we determine if a function has a removable discontinuity at 𝑥 = 𝑐 given its
equation?
Answer: A function 𝑓(𝑥) has a removable discontinuity at 𝑥 = 𝑐 if lim 𝑓(𝑥) exists but
𝑥→𝑐

not equal to 𝑓(𝑐). This is either because:

a. 𝑓(𝑐) is indeterminate, or
b. 𝑓(𝑐) exists but lim 𝑓(𝑥) ≠ 𝑓(𝑐).
𝑥→𝑐

2. How can we determine if a function has a jump discontinuity at 𝑥 = 𝑐 given its

equation?
Answer: A function 𝑓(𝑥) has a jump discontinuity at 𝑥 = 𝑐 if lim 𝑓(𝑥) fails to exist
𝑥→𝑐

because the left-hand limit and the right-hand limit have different values.

3.3. Types of Discontinuity 33

 Unit 3: Continuity of a Function
3. How can we determine if a function has an infinite discontinuity at 𝑥 = 𝑐 given its
equation?
Answer: A function 𝑓(𝑥) has an infinite discontinuity at 𝑥 = 𝑐 if lim 𝑓(𝑥) fails to exist
𝑥→𝑐

because at least one of the one-sided limits of 𝑓(𝑥) has infinite limit.

Check Your Understanding

A. Given the graphs of the functions below, determine the type of

discontinuity at 𝑥 = 𝑐.

1. 𝑥 = −2 Answer: jump
2. 𝑥 = 1 Answer: infinite

3.3. Types of Discontinuity 34

 Unit 3: Continuity of a Function

3. 𝑥 = −1 Answer: jump
4. 𝑥 = 3 Answer: infinite
5. 𝑥 = −4 Answer: removable

B. Determine if the following functions are continuous at 𝑥 = 𝑐. If not,

identify the type of discontinuity, and redefine the function to remove
the discontinuity if possible.

2𝑥
2𝑥 2 , 𝑥≠0
1. 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2−3𝑥 ; 𝑥 = 0 Answer: removable 𝑓 (𝑥) = {𝑥 −3𝑥2
−3, 𝑥 = 0
−5+𝑥 1
2. 𝑔(𝑥) = 2𝑥−1
;𝑥=2 Answer: infinite

4𝑥 + 𝑥 2 , 𝑥 > 1
3. ℎ(𝑥) = { 10 ;𝑥=1 Answer: infinite
− 𝑥−1 , 𝑥 ≤ 1
3𝑥 + 5, 𝑥 ≥ −1
4. 𝑓(𝑥) = { 2 ; 𝑥 = −1 Answer: jump
2𝑥 + 1, 𝑥 < −1
𝑥 3 +8
𝑥 3 +8 , 𝑥 ≠ −2
5. 𝑔(𝑥) = ; 𝑥 = −2 Answer: removable 𝑔(𝑥) = { 𝑥+2
𝑥+2
12, 𝑥 = −2
𝑥 2 +2𝑥−3
𝑥 2 +2𝑥−3 , 𝑥≠1
6. ℎ(𝑥) = 2𝑥 2 +𝑥−3; 𝑥 = 1 Answer: removable ℎ(𝑥) = {2𝑥
2 +𝑥−3
4
5
, 𝑥=1
1
7. 𝑦 = 3𝑥 ; 𝑥 = 0 Answer: infinite

3.3. Types of Discontinuity 35

 Unit 3: Continuity of a Function
𝑥 + 4, 𝑥 > 3
8. 𝑓(𝑥) = { ;𝑥=3 Answer: jump
𝑥2 , 𝑥 ≤ 3
𝜋 𝜋
9. 𝑦 = sec (𝑥 + 3 ); 𝑥 = 6
Answer: infinite
2𝜋 2𝜋
10. 𝑔(𝑥) = cot (𝑥 − ); 𝑥 = Answer: infinite
3 3
𝑥
11. 𝑦 = 4𝑥2−2𝑥 ; 𝑥 = 2 Answer: infinite
2𝑥+1 , 𝑥 < −1
12. 𝑓(𝑥) = { ; 𝑥 = −1 Answer: jump
𝑥 + 1, 𝑥 ≥ −1
2𝑥+3 3
13. 𝑓(𝑥) = |2𝑥+3| ; 𝑥 = − 2 Answer: jump

√2𝑥+6−4
√2𝑥+6−4 , 𝑥≠5
14. 𝑓(𝑥) = 5−𝑥
; 𝑥=5 Answer: removable 𝑓 (𝑥) = { 5−𝑥 1
−4, 𝑥 = 5
𝑥 2 +8𝑥+15 𝑥 2 +8𝑥+15
, 𝑥 ≠ −5 , 𝑥 ≠ −5
15. 𝑓(𝑥) = { 𝑥+5 ; 𝑥 = −5 Answer: removable 𝑓(𝑥) = { 𝑥+5
1, 𝑥 = −5 −2, 𝑥 = −5

Challenge Yourself

Explain the following.

1. Can a function have a jump and an infinite discontinuity at the same time at the same
point? Why or why not?
Answer: No, because even if one of the one-sided limits is finite and the other is
infinite, it would mean that the function has infinite discontinuity at the given point.
For the discontinuity to be jump, the one-sided limits have to be both finite.

𝑥 3 −4𝑥 2 +𝑥+6
2. Discuss all the types of discontinuities of the function 𝑓 (𝑥) = 𝑥 2 +3𝑥−10
at different

points.
𝑥 3 −4𝑥 2 +𝑥+6
Answer: The function 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2+3𝑥−10
has a removable discontinuity at 𝑥 = 2 since
3
𝑓(2) is not defined, and lim 𝑓(𝑥) = − 7. It has an infinite discontinuity at 𝑥 = −5 since
𝑥→2

𝑓(−5) is not defined and the limit does not exist because the one-sided limits are both
infinite.

3.3. Types of Discontinuity 36

 Unit 3: Continuity of a Function
Give a function that satisfy the given conditions.
1
3. A function has a removable discontinuity at 𝑥 = − , and the numerator has a radical
2

expression.
Answer: Answers may vary. The limit of the function has to take the indeterminate
0
form 0. This means that 2𝑥 + 1 must be a factor of both the numerator and

denominator of the function. Also, the radical expression in the numerator must be
1
real when evaluated at 𝑥 = − 2.
(2𝑥+1) √2𝑥+5 1
Sample answer: The function 𝑓 (𝑥) = 2𝑥+1
is undefined at 𝑥 = − 2 but
1
lim1 𝑓(𝑥) = 2. Since the limit exists, it has removable discontinuity at 𝑥 = − 2.
𝑥→−
2

4. A function has a removable discontinuity at 𝑥 = −5 and an infinite discontinuity at

3
𝑥 = 5.

Answer: Answers may vary as long as the factor (𝑥 + 5) is present both in the
numerator and denominator, and (5𝑥 − 3) is a factor of the denominator but not of
the numerator.
𝑥 2 +4𝑥−5
Possible answer: The function 𝑓(𝑥) = can be expressed in its factored form
5𝑥 2 +22𝑥−15
(𝑥+5)(𝑥−1) 0
𝑓 (𝑥) = (𝑥+5)(5𝑥−3). In this case, the limit takes the indeterminate form 0 and
3 3
lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 14, hence removable. Also, the function has the vertical asymptote 𝑥 = 5,
𝑥→−5

hence infinite discontinuity.

5. A function has an infinite and jump discontinuity at the same time.

Answer: Answers may vary. For a function to have a jump discontinuity, it has to be a
piecewise function. For it to have infinite discontinuity, the function must have a
vertical asymptote.

3.3. Types of Discontinuity 37

 Unit 3: Continuity of a Function
𝑥−1
|𝑥−1|
, 𝑥 ≥ −2
Possible answer: 𝑓(𝑥) = { 2 . This function has a jump discontinuity at
𝑥+5
, 𝑥 < −2

𝑥 = 1 and 𝑥 = −2. The function has the vertical asymptote 𝑥 = −5, hence infinite
discontinuity at 𝑥 = −5.

3.3. Types of Discontinuity 38