MATH1010: Chapter 2 cont… 1

LIMITS AND DERIVATIVES cont…

Continuity (Section 2.5 of Stewart, pg. 119)

x  1 x  3
Question: How does f ( x)   compare with g ( x)  x  1 ?
 2 x3

Definition: A function f is continuous at a number a if lim f ( x)  f (a)

x a

So, what actually has to hold?

Graphical Example:

What happens if we are given a formula for the function?…how do we determine where
the function is continuous?

x 2  5x  4
Example: f ( x) 
x 1
MATH1010: Chapter 2 cont… 2

 1 x3

Example: f ( x)   x  3
 6 x3

Application: Suppose that a certain country has the following income tax rates, where
x is income in thousands of dollars.
 0 x  10

f ( x)   0.1 10  x  20
0.15 x  20


Definition: A function f is continuous from the right at a number a if

lim f ( x)  f (a)
xa
and f is continuous from the left at a if
lim f ( x)  f (a)
xa

Graphical Example:

 4x  1 x0
Example: f ( x)  
 2 x  7 x0

So far, we’ve only talked about continuity at a point, but what do we mean when we say a
function is continuous on e.g. [0, 6]?

Definition: A function f is continuous on an interval if it is continuous at every

number in the interval. (If it is defined only on one side of an endpoint of the interval,
“continuous” at the endpoint means “continuous from the right” or “continuous from the
left”)
MATH1010: Chapter 2 cont… 3

To help us determine if a function is continuous, the following two theorems will help:

Theorem: The following types of functions are continuous at every number in their
domains:
Polynomials Rational functions
Root functions Trigonometric functions
Exponential Functions Logarithmic Functions

Theorem: If f and g are continuous at a and c is a constant, then the following are
also continuous at a :

1. f  g 2. f  g 3. c f
f
4. f  g 5. if g (a)  0 6. f ( g ( x))
g

4 1
Example: On what interval is the function h( x)   x2  2  sin x
x6 x 1
continuous?

Application: Suppose a neuron has the following response to inputs: if it receives a

voltage input V greater than or equal to a threshold of Vo, it outputs a voltage of kV for
some constant k. If it receives an input less than the threshold value of Vo, it outputs a
fixed voltage V*. What would k have to be to make the function continuous?
V * V  V0
f (V )  
kV V  V0
[Source: Modified from “Modeling the Dynamics of Life: Calculus and Probability for Life Scientists”, Frederick R. Adler, 1998]
MATH1010: Chapter 2 cont… 4

 3x  5 x2

Example: Given f ( x)   x  2 2 x5 determine whether each of the
 x 2  10 x5

following is true (T) or false (F).

a) f (x) is continuous when x  2 .

b) f (x) is continuous at x  2 .
c) f (x) is continuous from the left at x  5 .

The Intermediate Value Theorem: Suppose that f is continuous on a closed interval

a, b and let N be any number between f (a) and f (b) , where f (a)  f (b) . Then
there exists a number c in a, b  such that f (c)  N .
MATH1010: Chapter 2 cont… 5

This is useful for proving the existence of roots of an equation!

Example: Prove that 2 sin( x)  3  2 x has a root in 0, 1 .

Example: Prove that there exists a positive number c such that c 2  2 (this proves the
existence of 2 ).