1

Chapter 1
FUNCTIONS, LIMITS AND CONTINUITY

1.1 FUNCTIONS
A function is a relation whose input x has a single output y. It is often
written as y = f(x), which means y is a function of x.
Operation on Function
(i) Sum of two functions
f ( x)  g ( x)  ( f  g )( x)
(ii) Difference of two functions
f ( x)  g ( x)  ( f  g )( x)
(ii) Product of two functions
f ( x)  g ( x)  ( f  g )( x)
(iii) Quotient of two functions
f ( x) / g ( x)  ( f / g )( x)

Example 1. Given f ( x)  x 2  2 x  1 and g ( x)  2 x  1 , find (a) ( f  g )( x) ,

f ( x  h)  f ( x )
(b) f g (2) , (c) ( f / g )( 4) , and (d) .
h
Solution:
(a) ( f  g )( x)  x 2  2 x  1  2 x  1  x 2
(b) f g (2)  f 22 1
 f (3)
 32  2(3)  1  4
f (4)
(c) ( f / g )( 4) 
g (4)
4 2  2(4)  1

2(4)  1
9

7

(d)
f ( x  h)  f ( x) x  h   2x  h   1  x 2  2 x  1

2
 
h h
x 2  2 xh  h2  2 x  2h  1  x 2  2 x  1

h
 2

2 xh  h 2  2h

h
 2x  h  2

Example 2. Given f ( x)  2 x 4  5x 2  5x  10 and h( x)  x 4  3x 2  2 , if f (x )

is twice of h(x) find the value of x.
Solution:
f ( x)  2 x 4  5x 2  5x  10 and h( x)  x 4  3x 2  2
f x  2h( x)

2 x 4  5x 2  5x  10  2 x 4  3x 2  2 
2 x 4  5 x 2  5 x  10  2 x 4  6 x 2  4
x 2  5x  6  0
Thus, x  2 and x  3

1.2 LIMITS
Laws of Limits
(i) Limit of a constant c as x approaches a is constant.
lim c  c
xa

(ii) Limit of the sum and difference of two or more functions is equal to
the sum and difference of their limits.
lim  f1 ( x)  f 2 ( x)  ...  f n ( x)  lim f1 ( x)  lim f 2 ( x)  ...  lim f n ( x)
x a x a x a x a

(iii)Limit of the product of two or more functions is equal to the

product their limits.

lim  f 1 ( x)  f 2 ( x)...  f n ( x)  lim f 1 ( x)  lim f 2 ( x)  ...  lim f n ( x)

x b xa xa xa

(iv) Limit of the quotient of two functions is equal to the quotient of

their limits such that the limit of denominator is not equal to zero.
 f 1 ( x)  limxa
f 1 ( x)
, lim f 2 ( x)  0 .
lim    xa
x  a  f 2 ( x)  lim f 2 ( x)
xa
 3


Example 3. Evaluate (a) lim x 2  2 x  3 , (b) lim x 2  2 x  3 x 2  2 , and
x 1 x 2
 
3x  2
(c) lim .
x 1 4 x  3

Solution:
 
(a) lim x 2  2 x  3  2
x1

x 2
   x 2
  x 2

(b) lim x 2  2 x  3 x 2  2  lim x 2  2 x  3  lim x 2  2  (3)(2)  6 
3x  2 lim 3x  2 5
(c) lim  x1  5
x 1 4 x  3 lim 4 x  3 1
x 1

 f ( x  h)  f  x  
Example 4. If f ( x)  x 2  1 , find lim  .
h 0
 h 
Solution:
f ( x)  x 2  1
f ( x  h)  x  h   1  x 2  2 xh  h 2  1
2

   
f ( x  h)  f x   x 2  2 xh  h2  1  x 2  1  2 xh  h2  h2 x  h
f ( x  h)  f  x  h2 x  h 
lim  lim  lim 2 x  h   2 x .
h 0 h h  0 h h 0

2x  5  f ( x  h)  f  x  
Example 5. If f ( x)  , determine lim  .
3x  4 h  0
 h 
Solution:
2x  5
f ( x) 
3x  4
2 x  h   5 2 x  2h  5
f ( x  h)  
3 x  h   4 3 x  3h  4
2 x  2h  5 2 x  5
f ( x  h)  f  x   
3x  3h  4 3x  4

2 x  2h  53x  4  2 x  53x  3h  4
3x  3h  43x  4

2 x  53x  4  2h3x  4  2 x  53x  4  3h2 x  5
3x  3h  43x  4
6 xh  8h  6 xh  15h 23h
 
3x  3h  43x  4 3x  3h  43x  4
 4

 f ( x  h)  f  x    23h 
lim    lim  
h 0
 h  h 0  h3x  3h  43x  4
 23 
= lim 
h  0 3 x  3h  4 3 x  4  
 
23 23
 
3x  43x  4 3x  42

 f ( x  h)  f  x  
Example 6. If f ( x)  x  3 , find lim  .
h 0
 h 
Solution:
f ( x)  x  3
f ( x  h)  x  h  3

f ( x  h)  f  x    xh3  x3  xh3  x3

xh3  x3


f ( x  h)  f  x  
x  h  3  x  3 h
 xh3  x3   xh3  x3 
 f ( x  h)  f  x    h 

lim 
h 0
 h 
lim 
 
 h 0 h x  h  3  x  3 
 
 1 
 lim 
h 0  
 x  h3  x 3  
1 1
 

x3  x3 2 x3 

 f ( x  h)  f  x  
Example7. If f ( x)  3 x , find lim  .
h 0
 h 
Solution:
f ( x)  3 x
f ( x  h)  3 x  h

 x  h 2  3  x  h 3 x  3 x 2
 x
3
f ( x  h)  f ( x )  3
xh  3
3
 x  h 2  3  x  h 3 x  3 x 2
xhx
=
3
x  h  2
 3  x  h 3 x  3 x 2
 5

h
f ( x  h)  f ( x) 
3
 x  h 2  3  x  h 3 x  3 x 2
 
lim 
 f ( x  h )  f  x  
 lim
 h 
 h0   3 
  h x  h   3 x  h  x  x  
h 0 h 2 3 3 2

  
 
 1 
 lim  
h 0  3
  x  h   3 x  h 3 x  x  
2 3 2

 
 
 f ( x  h )  f  x  

 1 

1
lim   3 
h 0
 h    x 2  3 x 3 x  3 x 2   33 x 2
 

1.3 CONTINUITY
A function 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) is continuous at 𝑥 = 𝑎 if (i) lim f ( x)  f (a ) and
xa

(ii) 𝑓(𝑎) and lim f ( x) exist.

x a

x3
Example 8 . Show that f ( x)  is continuous at 𝑥 = 1.
x5
Solution:
x3
f ( x) 
x5
1 3
f (1)   1
1 5
x  3 lim x3 4
lim f  x   lim  x 1   1
x 1 x 1 x  5 lim x  5  4
x 1

Since, lim f ( x)  f (1) , then 𝑓(𝑥) is continuous at 𝑥 = 1.

x 1

x2 1
Example 9. Is f ( x)  continuous at 𝑥 = 2?
x2
Solution:
x2 1
f ( x) 
x2
3
f (2)   limit does not exist
0
f (x ) is not continuous at x  2.