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Continuity: Definition: Continuity of A Function at A Number

1) A function is continuous at a number if it satisfies three conditions: the function value at that number exists, the left-hand and right-hand limits exist, and the function value equals the limits. 2) There are three types of discontinuities: removable discontinuities occur when the limits exist but don't equal the function value, jump discontinuities occur when the limits exist but are not equal, and infinite discontinuities occur when at least one limit is infinite. 3) Examples of continuous and discontinuous functions are given to illustrate the different types of discontinuities.

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Derren Nierras Gaylo
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24 views

Continuity: Definition: Continuity of A Function at A Number

1) A function is continuous at a number if it satisfies three conditions: the function value at that number exists, the left-hand and right-hand limits exist, and the function value equals the limits. 2) There are three types of discontinuities: removable discontinuities occur when the limits exist but don't equal the function value, jump discontinuities occur when the limits exist but are not equal, and infinite discontinuities occur when at least one limit is infinite. 3) Examples of continuous and discontinuous functions are given to illustrate the different types of discontinuities.

Uploaded by

Derren Nierras Gaylo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CONTINUITY

Definition : Continuity of a Function at a Number


A function f is said to be continuous at a number a if and only if the following three
conditions are satisfied:

(1) 𝑓(𝑎) exists


(2) lim 𝑓(𝑥) 𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑠
𝑥→𝑎
(3) lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑎)
𝑥→𝑎

If one or more of these conditions fails to hold a, the function f is said to be


discontinuous at a.

It should be apparent that the geometric notion of a break in the graph at a certain point is
synonymous with the concept of a function being discontinuous at a certain value of the independent
variable.
Removable discontinuity happens when the function f is discontinuous at a number a, but for
which lim 𝑓(𝑥) 𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑠. Then either lim 𝑓(𝑥) ≠ 𝑓(𝑎) or 𝑓(𝑎) does not exists. The function can be
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
redefined at a such that f(a) is equal to lim 𝑓(𝑥), then the new function becomes continuous at a. If
𝑥→𝑎
the discontinuity is not removable, it is called as essential discontinuity.
A jump discontinuity happens when the right-hand and the left-hand limits both exist, but are
not equal. Thus, lim 𝑓(𝑥) 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑠. The size of the jump is the difference between the right-
𝑥→𝑎
hand and left-hand limits. On the other hand, an infinite discontinuity occurs when the one-sided
limits exist, and at least one of them is ±∞.

Examples:
𝑥 2 −1 2𝑥 + 3, 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 ≠ 1
1. 𝑓(𝑥) = 4. 𝑓(𝑥) = {
𝑥+1 2, 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 = 1

−1, 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 < 0 1
2. 𝑔(𝑥) = { 5. 𝑓(𝑥) =
1, 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 > 0 𝑥−2

1 3 + 𝑥, 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 ≤ 1
3. ℎ(𝑥) = 6. ℎ(𝑥) = {
𝑥2 3 − 𝑥, 𝑖𝑓 1 < 𝑥

Exercises:
A. Determine the numbers at which the function is continuous:
1. 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 (𝑥 + 3)2
𝑥
2. 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥−3
𝑥 3 +7
3. 𝐹(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 −4
3𝑥 − 1, 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 < 2
4. 𝑓(𝑥) = {
4 − 𝑥 2 , 𝑖𝑓 2 ≤ 𝑥
1
, 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 ≤ 1
5. 𝑓(𝑥) = {𝑥+1
1
, 𝑖𝑓 1 < 𝑥
3−𝑥
3
𝑥 + √𝑥 , 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 < 0
6. ℎ(𝑥) = {
𝑥 − √𝑥, 𝑖𝑓 0 ≤ 𝑥

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