NAME _____________________________________________ DATE ____________________________ PERIOD _____________
1-3 Study Guide and Intervention
Continuity, End Behavior, and Limits
Continuity A function f(x) is continuous at x = c if it satisfies the following conditions.
(1) f(x) is defined at c; in other words, f(c) exists.
(2) f(x) approaches the same function value to the left and right of c; in other words, lim f(x) exists.
x→c
(3) The function value that f(x) approaches from each side of c is f(c); in other words, lim f(x) = f(c).
x→c
Functions that are not continuous are discontinuous. Graphs that are discontinuous can exhibit infinite discontinuity,
jump discontinuity, or removable discontinuity (also called point discontinuity).
Example: Determine whether each function is continuous at the given x-value. Justify using the continuity test. If
discontinuous, identify the type of discontinuity as infinite, jump, or removable.
a. f(x) = 2|x| + 3; x = 2 𝟐𝒙
b. f(x) = ;x=1
𝒙𝟐 − 𝟏
(1) f(2) = 7, so f(2) exists. The function is not defined at x = 1 because it results
(2) Construct a table that shows values for f(x) for x- in a denominator of 0.
values approaching 2 from the left and from the The tables show that for values of x approaching 1
right. from the left, f(x) becomes increasingly more
x y = f(x) x y = f(x) negative.
1.9 6.8 2.1 7.2 For values approaching 1 from the right, f(x) becomes
1.99 6.98 2.01 7.02 increasingly more positive.
1.999 6.998 2.001 7.002 x y = f(x) x y = f(x)
The tables show that y approaches 7 as x 0.9 – 9.5 1.1 10.5
approaches 2 from both sides. 0.99 – 99.5 1.01 100.5
It appears that lim f (x) = 7. 0.999 – 999.5 1.001 1000.5
x→2 The function has infinite discontinuity at x = 1.
(3) lim f(x) = 7 and f(2) = 7.
x→2
The function is continuous at x = 2.
Exercises
Determine whether each function is continuous at the given x–value.
Justify your answer using the continuity test. If discontinuous, identify the type of discontinuity as infinite, jump, or
removable.
2𝑥 + 1 if 𝑥 > 2
1. f(x) = { ;x=2 2. f(x) = 𝑥 2 + 5x + 3; x = 4
𝑥 − 1 if 𝑥 ≤ 2
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟏 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐦+ 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟓 , 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟑𝟗 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐦+ 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟑𝟗,
𝒙 → 𝟐− 𝒙→𝟐 𝒙 → 𝟒− 𝒙→𝟒
so the function is not continuous; so the function is continuous.
it has jump discontinuity.
Chapter 1 16 Glencoe Precalculus
NAME _____________________________________________ DATE ____________________________ PERIOD _____________
1-3 Study Guide and Intervention (continued)
Continuity, End Behavior, and Limits
End Behavior The end behavior of a function describes how the function behaves at either end of the graph, or what
happens to the value of f(x) as x increases or decreases without bound. You can use the concept of a limit to describe end
behavior.
Left-End Behavior (as x becomes more and more negative): lim f(x)
x → –∞
Right-End Behavior (as x becomes more and more positive): lim f(x)
x→∞
The f(x) values may approach negative infinity, positive infinity, or a specific value.
Example: Use the graph of f(x) = 𝒙𝟑 + 2 to describe its end behavior.
Support the conjecture numerically.
As x decreases without bound, the y–values also decrease without bound. It
appears the limit is negative infinity: lim f(x) = –∞.
x → –∞
As x increases without bound, the y–values increase without bound. It appears the
limit is positive infinity: lim f(x) = ∞.
x→∞
Construct a table of values to investigate function values as |x| increases.
x –1000 –100 –10 0 10 100 1000
f(x) –999,999,998 –999,998 –998 2 1002 1,000,002 1,000,000,002
As x → −∞, f(x) → –∞. As x → ∞, f(x) → ∞. This supports the conjecture.
Exercises
Use the graph of each function to describe its end behavior. Support the conjecture numerically.
1. 2.
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = −∞; 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = −∞ 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟓; 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟓
𝒙 → −∞ 𝒙→∞ 𝒙 → −∞ 𝒙→∞
See students’ work. See students’ work.
Chapter 1 17 Glencoe Precalculus
