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HBSP 11e 1 6 Lecture Slides

This document discusses one-sided and two-sided limits, as well as continuity of functions. It begins by stating the learning objectives of computing one-sided limits, exploring continuity, and investigating the intermediate value property. It then provides examples of computing one-sided limits, discusses continuity in terms of the limit definition, and gives an example of finding a value to make a piecewise function continuous.

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MuhammadAsif
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
24 views

HBSP 11e 1 6 Lecture Slides

This document discusses one-sided and two-sided limits, as well as continuity of functions. It begins by stating the learning objectives of computing one-sided limits, exploring continuity, and investigating the intermediate value property. It then provides examples of computing one-sided limits, discusses continuity in terms of the limit definition, and gives an example of finding a value to make a piecewise function continuous.

Uploaded by

MuhammadAsif
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Calculus for Business,

Economics, the Social


and Life Sciences

One-Sided
Limits and
Continuity

Section 1.6
1
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
Learning Objectives
 Compute and use one-sided limits

 Explore the concept of continuity and


examine the continuity of several functions

 Investigate the intermediate value


property

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Continuity – Intuitive Notion

A function is continuous if its graph can be


drawn without lifting up one’s pencil.

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One-Sided Limits

If, as x approaches some value a from


values greater than a, approaches a
value L, then we write

If, as x approaches some value a from


values less than a, approaches a value
K, then we write

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EXAMPLE 1 Computing an Infinite One-Sided
Limit

Find

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EXAMPLE 1 Computing an Infinite One-Sided
Limit

SOLUTION

The one-sided limit can be found in the following


informal manner:

As values of x approach 1 from the right (x > 1), the


expression becomes a large positive number.

We conclude that

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One- vs. Two-Sided Limits

If, for a function and constants a and L,

Then we define the two-sided limit to be

In other words, if the one-sided limits agree, then


that limiting value is the same as the two-sided limit
we defined in Section 1.5.

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EXAMPLE 2 Computing One-Sided Limits for
a Piecewise-Defined Function

Let

Compute one-sided limits of as x approaches 1.

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EXAMPLE 2 Computing One-Sided Limits for
a Piecewise-Defined Function

SOLUTION

We need to compute

Because the function is defined by the first expression


for values of x less than 1, we have

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EXAMPLE 2 Computing One-Sided Limits for
a Piecewise-Defined Function

SOLUTION

Because the function is defined by the second


expression for values of x greater than 1, we have

Note that because does


not exist.

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Continuity – Formal Definition

A function is continuous at if

In other words, if the limit as we approach a


agrees with the function value at a then the
function is continuous at that point.

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Quick example:
The function defined in

Example 2 is not continuous at because


does not exist. In particular,

The graph of f exhibits its discontinuity at 1.

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EXAMPLE 3 Creating a Continuous Function

A bag of rice travels along a conveyer belt so that the


object’s height, in feet, above the ground after t
seconds is modeled by
After six seconds on the conveyer belt, the bag falls
and its height is modeled by for some
constant b.

Find the value of b such that the function giving


the height of the bag is continuous for all positive t.

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EXAMPLE 3 Creating a Continuous Function

SOLUTION

Constructing a formula for the height, we find

We want h to be continuous at all points in its domain,


but we know that both the linear component (the top)
and quadratic component (the bottom) are continuous
independent of one another.
So the point of articulation, should be the focus.
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EXAMPLE 3 Creating a Continuous Function

SOLUTION

We compute both one-sided limits at and set them


equal to one another in order to guarantee the
continuity of h. This process will allow us to solve for
the unknown constant b.

while

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EXAMPLE 3 Creating a Continuous Function

SOLUTION

Setting these two limit expressions equal, we come up


with

Thus if we choose b to be 11, the height function is


continuous on its domain.

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