Video 1 – Estimating a Limit
The notion of a limit is a fundamental concept of calculus. In this video, you will learn what the
concept of limits mean and how to use your calculator to evaluate a limit.
Definition of Limit
If 𝑓(𝑥) becomes arbitrarily close to a unique number 𝐿 as 𝑥 approaches 𝑐 from either side,
then the limit of 𝑓(𝑥) as 𝑥 approaches 𝑐 is 𝐿. This is written as
lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿
𝑥→𝑐
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Calculator – ask mode, table
Video 2 – Evaluating Limits
In this video, you will learn how to:
Find left-hand limits and right-hand limits (if they exist).
Use algebraic simplification to find limits.
Use graphs to find limits.
Example 1 lim (𝑥 + 2) =
𝑥→1
𝑥 2 +𝑥−2
Example 2 lim =
𝑥→1 𝑥−1
𝑥−9
Example 3 lim =
𝑥→9 √𝑥−3
1
Example 4 lim =
𝑥→0 𝑥
2𝑥 2 −5𝑥+2
Example 5 lim =
𝑥→2 5𝑥 2 −7𝑥−6
3 − 𝑥, 𝑥 < 1
Example 6 if 𝑓(𝑥) = { 4, 𝑥 = 1 , find: lim− 𝑓(𝑥), lim+ 𝑓(𝑥) and lim 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→1 𝑥→1 𝑥→1
𝑥 2 + 1, 𝑥 > 1
Example 7
Find:
lim 𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥→−4 −
lim 𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥→−4 +
lim 𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥→−4
𝑓(−4) =
lim− 𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥→2
lim+ 𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥→2
lim 𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥→2
𝑓(2) =
lim− 𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥→6
lim+ 𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥→6
lim 𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥→6
𝑓(6) =
Video 3 – Techniques for Finding Limits
In this video, you will learn how to:
Find left-hand limits and right-hand limits (if they exist).
Use algebraic simplification to find limits.
Use graphs to find limits.
Use the Sandwich Theorem to find limits.
Properties of Limits
1. lim 𝑐 = 𝑐
𝑥→𝑎
2. lim 𝑥 = 𝑎
𝑥→𝑎
3. lim [𝑓(𝑥) ± 𝑔(𝑥)] = lim 𝑓(𝑥) ± lim 𝑔(𝑥)
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
4. lim [𝑓(𝑥) ∙ 𝑔(𝑥)] = lim 𝑓(𝑥) ∙ lim 𝑔(𝑥)
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
𝑓(𝑥) lim 𝑓(𝑥)
5. lim [ ] = 𝑥→𝑎
𝑥→𝑎 𝑔(𝑥) lim 𝑔(𝑥)
𝑥→𝑎
6. lim [𝑐 ∙ 𝑓(𝑥)] = 𝑐 lim 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
𝑛 𝑛
7. lim 𝑥 = 𝑎
𝑥→𝑎
𝑛
8. lim [𝑓(𝑥)]𝑛 = [lim 𝑓(𝑥)]
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
9. lim 𝑃(𝑥) = 𝑃(𝑎)
𝑥→𝑎
10. lim 𝑄(𝑥) = 𝑄(𝑎)
𝑥→𝑎
𝑛 𝑛
11. lim √𝑥 = √𝑎
𝑥→𝑎
𝑛
12. lim √𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑛√ lim 𝑓(𝑥)
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
13.Sandwich Theorem:
If 𝑓(𝑥) ≤ ℎ(𝑥) ≤ 𝑔(𝑥) and lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿 and lim 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝐿, then lim ℎ(𝑥) = 𝐿
𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎 𝑥→𝑎
1
Example 1 lim 𝑥 2 sin =
𝑥→0 𝑥
Unit 1, Video 4 – Limits to Infinity
In this video, you will learn how to:
Find limits involving infinity.
Find vertical and horizontal asymptotes
𝟏
Example 1 𝐥𝐢𝐦 =
𝒙→𝟐 𝒙−𝟐
𝟐𝒙𝟐 −𝟓
Example 2 𝐥𝐢𝐦 =
𝒙→−∞ 𝟑𝒙𝟐 +𝒙+𝟐
𝒙+𝟑
Example 3 Find the Vertical and Horizontal Asymptotes of 𝒇(𝒙) =
𝒙𝟐 −𝟗
√𝟗𝒙𝟐 +𝟐
Example 4 𝐥𝐢𝐦 =
𝒙→∞ 𝟒𝒙−𝟑
Unit 1, Video 5 – Continuous Functions
In this video, you will learn how to:
Discuss and verify continuity for functions and determine values for
which a function is continuous.
Use the Intermediate Value Theorem with continuous functions to
prove certain values exist.
Types of Discontinuity:
Definition of a Continuous Function
𝒇(𝒙) is defined at 𝒙 = 𝒄
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) exists
𝒙→𝒄
𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒄)
𝒙→𝒄
𝒙𝟐 −𝟗
Example 1 Is 𝒇(𝒙) = { 𝒙−𝟑 , 𝒙 ≠ 𝟑 continuous at 𝒙 = 𝟑
𝟐, 𝒙 = 𝟑
2
Example 2 Find all numbers for which 𝑓 (𝑥 ) = 𝑥 2 −4 is continuous
