Problem
Limit problem
Use Definition 4 to prove that lim =0
Continuity problem
Where are each of the following functions discontinuous?
(a) = if x 2
(c) =
1 if x = 2
if x 0
(b) =
1 if x = 0 (d) =
Online AP Bridge Program - Calculus problems
HYUNGRYUL BAIK
1. Review on basic concepts of Calculus
1.1. Limits and Continuity.
Question 1. Find the following limits.
x 3
a) lim 2
x!3 x p9
4 x2 9
b) lim
x!5 p x 5
c) lim 8 + cos2 x
x!0
Solution:
x 3 x 3 1 1
a) lim = lim = lim = .
x!3 x2 9 x!3 (x 3)(x + 3) x!3 x + 3 6
Here the second equality holds because x 6= 3.
b)
p p p
4 x2 9 (4 x2 9)(4 + x2 9)
lim = lim p
x!5 x 5 x!5 (x 5)(4 + x2 9)
16 (x2 9)
= lim p
x!5 (x 5)(4 + x2 9)
(x 5)(x + 5)
= lim p
x!5 (x 5)(4 + x2 9)
(x + 5) 5
= lim p = .
x!5 4 + x2 9 4
c)
p q
lim 8 + cos2 x = lim (8 + cos2 x)
x!0 x!0
q
= 8 + lim cos2 x
x!0
p
= 8 + 1 = 3.
⇤
1
2 HYUNGRYUL BAIK
p p
Question 2. When 9 2x2 f (x) 9 x2 for 1 x 1, find
lim f (x).
x!0
Solution:
p p p p
Note that lim 9 2x2 = 9 2 · 02 = 3 and lim 9 x2 = 9 02 =
x!0 x!0
3. By the sandwich theorem, lim f (x) = 3. ⇤
x!0
x2 + x 2
Question 3. Let f (X) = and ✏ = 0.05.
x 1
Find L = lim f (x). Then find a number > 0 such for all x 6= 1 satisfying
x!1
0 < |x 1| < , we have |f (x) L| < ✏.
Solution:
x2 + x 2 (x 1)(x + 2)
First of all, L = lim f (x) = lim = lim = 3.
x!1 x!1 x 1 x!1 x 1
Step1:
x2 + x 2 x2 + x 2
| 3| < 0.05 , 0.05 < 3 < 0.05
x 1 x 1
, 0.05 < x 1 < 0.05, x 6= 1
, 0.95 < x < 1.05, x 6= 1
Step2:
|x 1| < , <x 1<
,1 <x<1+
Hence one can take any positive number smaller than equal to 0.05 as .
⇤
Question 4. Show that the following functions are continuous on their do-
mains.
1
a) f (x) =
8 21
x
<x 4x + 3
if x 6= 3
b) g(x) = x 3
:
2 if x = 3
x sin x
c) h(x) = 2
x +1
Solution:
a) Since the constant function 1 and the function x 1 are continuous,
f (x) is continuous except at x = 1 where f is not defined. Hence it is con-
tinuous throughout its domain.
Online AP Bridge Program - Calculus problems 3
b) By the same reason as in the case a), g is continuous possibly except
at x = 3. Note that
x2 4x + 3 (x 1)(x 3)
lim = lim = lim x 1 = 2 = g(3).
x!3 x 3 x!3 x 3 x!3
Therefore, g is continuous everywhere.
c) The numerator is a product of two continuous functions x and sin x,
and the denominator is a continuous function x2 + 1 which is always positive
(never zero). Hence h is continuous everywhere. ⇤
Question 5. Find the value of a which makes the following functions con-
tinuous at(every x.
x2 1 if x < 4
a) f (x) =
ax + a if x 4
8
< x 2a if x < 0
b) g(x) = a+1
: x2 + a if x 0
Solution:
a) Note that lim f (x) = lim (x2 1) = 15, and
x!4 x!4
lim f (x) = lim (ax + a) = 5a = f (4). Then for f to be continuous, we
x!4+ x!4+
must have lim f (x) = lim f (x), i.e., 15 = 5a. Hence, a = 3.
x!4 x!4+
2a
b) Note that lim g(x) = and lim g(x) = a = g(0). Then similarly
x!0 a+1 x!0+
2a
we must have = a. Hence a = 0 or a = 3. ⇤
a+1
