Percent of

Increase/Dec
rease in
Discounts,
Original
Price, Rate

Continuity
A function is said to be
continuous if we can draw a
graph of the function with one
continuous line. i. e. without
removing our pencil from the
graph paper.

Definition
A function f is continuous at a point x = c iff
1.

f (c) is defined

2.

lim f (x) exists

3.

lim f(x) f (c)

x c

x c

Examples

f (x) = x 1 at x = 2.

a. f (2) = 1
1

x 1 1The limit
b. xlim
2
exist!

c. f (2) 1 lim x 1
x2

Therefore the function is continuous at x = 2

f (x) = (x2 9)/(x + 3) at x = -3

a. f (-3) = 0/0
b.

Is undefined!

x2 9
lim

x 3 x 3

-6

-3

The limit exist!

c.

x2 9
lim
f ( 3)
x 3 x 3

Therefore the function is not

continuous at x = -3.

-6

A function f is continuous at

a point x = c iff
1.

f (c) is defined

2.

lim f (x) exists

3.

lim f(x) f (c)

x c

x c

Try this!
2
Show f
is continuous at x = 0.
x

2
1 The function is clearly defined at
2
1

0
1
. f0

x= 0

2
2
2
.lim
2

1
2
1

0
x

With direct
substitution the
limit clearly exists
at x=0

3
.
f
0

lim
2

2The value of the function

clearly equals the limit at x=0

A function f is continuous at

a point x = c iff
1.

f (c) is defined

2.

lim f (x) exists

3.

x c

lim f(x) f (c)

x c

Otherwise, f is said to be
discontinuous at x = a.

Functions that are

discontinuous at x = a
(1) The function is not dened at x = a. The
graph has a hole at x = a.
(2) The function is dened at x = a, but
lim f(x) does not exist. The graph has a jump at x = a.
xa
(3) lim f(x) exists and f(a) is dened but lim f(x) is not equal to f(a).
xa
xa
The graph has a hole at x = a.
(4) lim f(x) = and so lim f(x) = f(a) never holds.
xa
xa
The function blows up at x = a.

Show f x 8x 1 if x 2
10

if x 2

is not continuous at x = 2.

1. f 2 10 The function is clearly

10 at x = 2

2. lim f x lim 8 x 1 8 2 1 15
x 2

x 2
The behavior as x approaches
2 is dictated by 8x-1

3. f 2 lim f x The value of the function clearly does

x 2

not equal the limit at x=2

f is not continuous at x = 2