LIMITS AND CONTINUITY OF FUNCTIONS

1. FUNCTIONS

Definition: A function f from a set X to a set Y is a rule of correspondence that pairs to

each element x of X exactly one element y of Y. This correspondence can be
denoted by

f :x→y or f (x ) = y .

HISTORY

The idea of a function goes back to Sharaf al-Dīn al-Tūsī, a Persian mathematician in the 12th century.
However, it was Gottfried Leibniz who coined term function in a 1673 letter to describe a quantity related
to a curve. The function described by Leibniz is now known as the differentiable function. This function
includes the concepts of limits and derivatives, which are the basis of calculus. During the mid-18th
century, the word function was used by Leonhard Euler to describe an expression or formula involving
various arguments.

DOMAIN AND RANGE OF A FUNCTION

The domain of the function f, denoted by dom f or D f , is the whole set of permissible values of x. While
its range, denoted by ran f or R f , is the set of corresponding elements of y.

COMMON TYPES OF FUNCTIONS

The following is a list of common functions, describing their forms, graph, domain, and range.

1. Constant Function

Form: f (x ) = c , where c ∈ ℜ
Graph: Horizontal line with y-intercept c
Domain: Set of real numbers, denoted as {x x ∈ ℜ}
Range: {y y = c}
2. Linear Function

Form: f (x ) = mx + b , where m, b ∈ ℜ, m ≠ 0
Graph: Line with slope m and y-intercept b
Domain: {x x ∈ ℜ}
Range: {y y ∈ ℜ}
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3. Quadratic Function

Form: f (x ) = ax 2 + bx + c , where a , b, c ∈ ℜ, a ≠ 0
Graph: Vertical parabola with the following properties
• concave upward if a > 0 , or concave downward if a < 0
 b 4ac − b2 
• vertex at the point V  − , 
 2a 4a 
• x-intercepts are the real zeroes or roots of the quadratic equation
ax 2 + bx + c = 0 , and y-intercept is c
Domain: {x x ∈ ℜ}
Range: {y y ≥ y - component of the vertex} if the parabola is concave upward
{y y ≤ y - component of the vertex} if the parabola is concave downward
4. Polynomial Function of Degree n

Form: f (x ) = an x n + an−1 x n−1 + L + a2 x 2 + a1 x + a0 , where a0 , a1 ,K , an ∈ ℜ, an ≠ 0

Graph: Vary from polynomial function to polynomial function
Domain: {x x ∈ ℜ}
Range: Vary from polynomial function to polynomial function

5. Rational Function

g (x )
Form: f (x ) = , where f ( x ) and h(x ) are not constant functions, g (x ) and
h(x )
h( x ) are polynomial functions, and h(x ) ≠ 0
Graph: Vary from rational function to rational function
• asymptotic or has “holes” at the real zeroes of the denominator
Domain: The set of real numbers except the zeroes of h( x )
Range: Vary from rational function to rational function

6. Radical Function

Form: f (x ) = n g (x ) , where n ∈ Z + , n ≥ 2
Graph: Vary from radical function to radical function
Domain: {x x ∈ ℜ} if g(x ) is a polynomial function and n is odd
{x g(x ) ≥ 0} if g(x ) is a polynomial function and n is even
Range: Vary from radical function to radical function

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7. Piecewise Function

g1 (x ) , x ∈ I1
g (x ) , x ∈ I
 2
f (x ) = 
2
Form: , where I1 , I2 ,K , In are disjoint intervals of x
 M M
gn ( x ) , x ∈ In
Graph: Vary from piecewise function to piecewise function
Domain: The union of the I1 , I2 ,K , In intervals, except the numbers at which any of the
functions g1 (x ), g2 (x ),K,gn ( x ) is undefined with respect to Ii , where i = 1,2,K, n
Range: Vary from piecewise function to piecewise function

MISCELLANEOUS FUNCTIONS

1. Absolute Value Function

± g (x ) , g( x ) ≥ 0
Form: f (x ) = ± g( x ) = 
m g ( x ) , g ( x ) < 0
Graph: V-shaped, if linear, and opens upward if f (x ) = g(x ) , or opens downward if
f (x ) = − g (x )
Domain: {x x ∈ ℜ}
Range: {y y ≥ y - value of the "corner"} if it is linear and opens upward
{y y ≤ y - value of the " corner"} if it is linear and opens downward
2. Greatest Integer Function

Form: f (x ) = x = {the greatest integer ≤ x}

Graph: Step-like
Domain: {x x ∈ ℜ}
Range: {y y ∈ Z}
3. Trigonometric Functions

Function Domain Range

y = sin x {x x ∈ ℜ} {y − 1 ≤ y ≤ 1}
y = cos x {x x ∈ ℜ} {y − 1 ≤ y ≤ 1}
π
y = tan x  
 x x ≠ kπ + , k ∈ Z  {y y ∈ ℜ}
 2 
y = cot x {x x ≠ kπ , k ∈ Z} {y y ∈ ℜ}
π
y = sec x 
 x x ≠ kπ + , k ∈ Z 

{y y ≤ −1 or y ≥ 1}
 2 
y = csc x {x x ≠ kπ , k ∈ Z} {y y ≤ −1 or y ≥ 1}

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4. Natural Exponential Function and Other Exponential Functions

Form: f (x ) = e x = exp( x )
f (x ) = a x
Graph: Has the following characteristics
• has a horizontal asymptote at y = 0
• y-intercept is 1
• increasing if a > 1 or decreasing if 0 < a < 1
Domain: {x x ∈ ℜ}
Range: {y y > 0}
5. Natural Logarithmic Funciton and Other Logarithmic Functions

Form: f (x ) = ln(x )
f (x ) = log a x
Graph: Has the following characteristics
• has a vertical asymptote at x = 0
• x-intercept is 1
• increasing if a > 1 or decreasing if 0 < a < 1
Domain: {x x > 0}
Range: {y y ∈ ℜ}

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EXERCISES

Determine the domain and range of the following functions. Sketch their graphs.

x 2 − 2x − 3
1. f (x ) = 2 x − 4 6. p(x ) =
x −3

x3 − 4x
2. y = 8 − 2 x − x 2 7. r (x ) =
x −2

x2
3. y = −( x + 2)3 8. h(x ) =
x2 − 1

1
4. y = 9. y = 4 − x 2
x

x −1
5. g( x ) = 10. q (x ) = − x 2 − 9
x +2

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11. f ( x ) = 3 x + 1 16. f (x ) = 9 − x 2

12. g( x ) = x 2 + 4 17. y = x + 3 − 1

x
13. h(x ) = 18. y = x + 2
x −1

− 1 , x < 0
 x
14. sgn( x ) =  0 , x = 0 19. y =
 1 , x >0 x


 x2 − 4 , x < −2
1 − x 2
, x <2 
15. y =  20. f (x ) =  x + 2 , −2 < x ≤ 2
 x −2 , x ≥2  4−x , x >2


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