7_3679_APCalc_04Chapter2 10/3/08 4:21 PM Page 102

102 AP Calculus

Practice Exercises
Part A. Directions: Answer these questions without using your calculator.
x2 − 4
1. lim is
x →2 x2 + 4
1
(A) 1 (B) 0 (C) − (D) –1 (E)
2
4 − x2
2. lim is
x →∞ x2 – 1

(A) 1 (B) 0 (C) –4 (D) –1 (E)

x−3
3. lim is
x →3 x2 − 2 x − 3
1
(A) 0 (B) 1 (C) (D) (E) none of these
4

4. lim xx is
x →0

(A) 1 (B) 0 (C) (D) –1 (E) nonexistent

x3 − 8
5. lim is
x →2 x2 − 4

(A) 4 (B) 0 (C) 1 (D) 3 (E)

4 − x2
6. lim is
x →∞ 4 x2 − x − 2

1
(A) –2 (B) − (C) 1 (D) 2 (E) nonexistent
4

5 x 3 + 27
7. lim is
x →−∞ 20 x + 10 x + 9
2

(A) – (B) –1 (C) 0 (D) 3 (E)

3 x 2 + 27
8. lim is
x →∞ x 3 − 27

(A) 3 (B) (C) 1 (D) –1 (E) 0

−x
9. lim 2 x is
x →∞ 2

(A) –1 (B) 1 (C) 0 (D) (E) none of these

−x
10. lim 2 x is
x →−∞ 2

(A) –1 (B) 1 (C) 0 (D) (E) none of these

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Limits and Continuity 103

11. lim sin 5 x

x →0 x
1
(A) =0 (B) = (C) =1 (D) =5 (E) does not exist
5

12. lim sin 2 x

x →0 3x
2 3
(A) =0 (B) = (C) =1 (D) = (E) does not exist
3 2
13. The graph of y = arctan x has

(A) vertical asymptotes at x = 0 and x =

(B) horizontal asymptotes at y = ± π2
(C) horizontal asymptotes at y = 0 and y =
(D) vertical asymptotes at x = ± π2
(E) none of these

x2 − 9
14. The graph of y = has
3x − 9

(A) a vertical asymptote at x = 3 (B) a horizontal asymptote at y = 1

3
(C) a removable discontinuity at x = 3 (D) an infinite discontinuity at x = 3
(E) none of these

15. lim sin x

is
x→0
2 x + 3x

1 1
(A) 1 (B) (C) 3 (D) (E)
3 4

16. lim sin 1x is

x →0

(A) (B) 1 (C) nonexistent (D) –1 (E) none of these

2 x2 + 4
17. Which statement is true about the curve y = ?
2 + 7 x – 4 x2

(A) The line x = − 14 is a vertical asymptote.

(B) The line x = 1 is a vertical asymptote.
(C) The line y = − 14 is a horizontal asymptote.
(D) The graph has no vertical or horizontal asymptote.
(E) The line y = 2 is a horizontal asymptote.

2 x2 + 1
18. lim ( 2 − x )( 2 + x ) is
x →∞

(A) –4 (B) –2 (C) 1 (D) 2 (E) nonexistent

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104 AP Calculus

x
19. lim x is
x →0

(A) 0 (B) nonexistent (C) 1 (D) –1 (E) none of these

20. lim x sin 1x is

x →∞

(A) 0 (B) (C) nonexistent (D) –1 (E) 1

sin( π − x )
21. lim π − x is
x →π

(A) 1 (B) 0 (C) (D) nonexistent (E) none of these

 x2 − 1

22. Let f ( x ) =  x − 1 if x ≠ 1
4 if x = 1.

Which of the following statements is (are) true?

I. lim f ( x ) exists
x →1

II. f(1) exists

III. f is continuous at x = 1

(A) I only (B) II only (C) I and II

(D) none of them (E) all of them

 f ( x ) = x 2 − x
23. If  2 x for x 0,
 f ( 0 ) = k ,
and if f is continuous at x = 0, then k =
1 1
(A) –1 (B) − (C) 0 (D) (E) 1
2 2

 f ( x ) = 3 x ( x − 1) for x ≠ 1, 2,
 x2 − 3 x + 2

24. Suppose  f (1) = −3,

 f ( 2 ) = 4 .
Then f(x) is continuous

(A) except at x = 1 (B) except at x = 2 (C) except at x = 1 or 2

(D) except at x = 0, 1, or 2 (E) at each real number

4
25. The graph of f ( x ) = x 2 − 1 has

(A) one vertical asymptote, at x = 1

(B) the y-axis as vertical asymptote
(C) the x-axis as horizontal asymptote and x = ±1 as vertical asymptotes
(D) two vertical asymptotes, at x = ±1, but no horizontal asymptote
(E) no asymptote
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Limits and Continuity 105

2 x2 + 2 x + 3
26. The graph of y = has
4 x2 − 4 x
1
(A) a horizontal asymptote at y = + 2 but no vertical asymptote
(B) no horizontal asymptote but two vertical asymptotes, at x = 0 and x = 1
1
(C) a horizontal asymptote at y = and two vertical asymptotes, at x = 0 and x = 1
2
(D) a horizontal asymptote at x = 2 but no vertical asymptote
1
(E) a horizontal asymptote at y = and two vertical asymptotes, at x = ±1
2

 x 2 + x if x ≠ 0
27. Let f ( x ) =  x .
1 if x = 0
Which of the following statements is (are) true?

I. f(0) exists
II. lim f ( x ) exists
x →0

III. f is continuous at x = 0

(A) I only (B) II only (C) I and II only

(D) all of them (E) none of them

Part B. Directions: Some of the following questions require the use of a graphing
calculator.

28. If [x] is the greatest integer not greater than x, then xlim[
→1 2
x ] is
1
(A) (B) 1 (C) nonexistent (D) 0 (E) none of these
2

29. (With the same notation) lim[ x ] is

x →−2

(A) –3 (B) –2 (C) –1 (D) 0 (E) none of these

30. lim sin x

x →∞

(A) is –1 (B) is infinity (C) oscillates between –1 and 1

(D) is zero (E) does not exist

 x 2 x (x ≠ 0)
31. The function f(x) = 
0 (x = 0)
(A) is continuous everywhere
(B) is continuous except at x = 0
(C) has a removable discontinuity at x = 0
(D) has an infinite discontinuity at x = 0
(E) has x = 0 as a vertical asymptote
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106 AP Calculus

Questions 32–36 are based on the y

function f shown in the graph and
defined below:
• 2 •
Ï1 - x (-1 ! x < 0)
Ô 2
Ô2 x - 2 (0 ! x ! 1) 1 •
Ô
f ( x ) = Ì- x + 2 (1 < x < 2)
Ô1 ( x = 2)
Ô • x
–1 0 1 2 3
Ô2 x - 4 (2 < x ! 3)
Ó

32. lim f ( x )
x →2

(A) equals 0 (B) equals 1 (C) equals 2

(D) does not exist (E) none of these

33. The function f is defined on [–1,3]

(A) if x 0 (B) if x 1 (C) if x 2

(D) if x 3 (E) at each x in [–1,3]

34. The function f has a removable discontinuity at

(A) x = 0 (B) x = 1 (C) x = 2 (D) x = 3 (E) none of these

35. On which of the following intervals is f continuous?

(A) –1 ! x ! 0 (B) 0 < x < 1 (C) 1!x!2

(D) 2!x!3 (E) none of these

36. The function f has a jump discontinuity at

(A) x = –1 (B) x = 1 (C) x=2

(D) x=3 (E) none of these
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Limits and Continuity 107

37. Suppose lim f ( x ) = -1, lim f ( x ) = -1, and f ( -3) is not defined. Which of the
xÆ-3- xÆ-3+
following statements is (are) true?

I. lim f ( x ) = −1.
x →−3

II. f is continuous everywhere except at x = –3.

III. f has a removable discontinuity at x = –3.

(A) None of them (B) I only (C) III only

(D) I and III only (E) All of them

1
38. If y = 1
, then lim y is *
xÆ 0
2+ 10 x
1 1 1
(A) 0 (B) (C) (D) (E) nonexistent
12 2 3
1
39. lim 3 + arctan is
xÆ0 x

p p
(A) -• (B) 3- (C) 3+
2 2
(D) • (E) none of these

*This icon indicates a challenge question, one that may be more difficult than what you will
encounter on the AP Calculus exam.