CHAPTER 7: LIMITS AND CONTINUITY

TUTORIAL
LIMITS AND CONTINUITY

1. Find the following limits.

1
x+
lim(5 x + 1)( x - 1) lim x
(a) (c)
x �3 x �0 1
x-
x
2x + 1 x+4
(b) lim (d) lim
x � -2 x -3 x 3 x - 10

2. Suppose that lim f ( x) = 0 and lim g ( x) = -3 . Find

x �4 x �4

lim ( ( g ( x) + 3) lim ( g ( x) )
2
(a) x �4
(c) x �4

lim x. f ( x) g ( x)
(b) (d) lim
x �4 x �4 f ( x) - 1

3. Given that f ( x) = x 2 , evaluate the limits if the limit exist.

f (5) - f ( x)
(a) lim
x �1 x-2
f ( x ) - f (2)
(b) lim
x �3 x -3

4. Evaluate the following limits.

�x 2 + 6 x + 9 � �x 3 + 8 �
(a) lim � � (c) lim � �
x � -3
� x+3 � x � -2
�x + 2 �

� 8 - 2x � � 4+h -2�
(b) lim � 2 � (d) lim � �
x �4 x - x - 12 h �0 � �
� � � h �

5. Determine whether the limits exist

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 CHAPTER 7: LIMITS AND CONTINUITY

1 + 2 x - 10 x-2
(a) lim+ (c) lim
x 5 x+3 x2- x-2

(b) lim x 2 - 36 (d) lim (3 + 2 x - 4 )

x 6 + x 5 +

6. Examine the graph of y = g (t ) shown below. Find

-1 1 2 g(t) t
(a) lim g (-2
t) (c) lim
t  -2 t 1

(b) lim g ( t ) -1
(d) lim g ( t )
t -1 t 2
7. (a) Sketch the graph of
�x + 1 , x <1
�3
�
f ( x) = � , x =1
�2
�
�2- x , x >1
Evaluate the limit of the function when x � 1 , if it exist.

�ax 2 + 3 , x �3
�
(b) Given f ( x) = �
-2 x , 3< x<4
�-x + 6 , x �4
�
(i) Find the value of a so that lim
x3
f ( x) exist.

(ii) Find xlim f ( x ) , lim f ( x ) and lim f ( x )

4- x 4+ x 4

8. Determine whether lim

x a
f ( x) exist or not, and give the reason.

 2 x <1 x 2 - 4 x<2
 
(a) f ( x) =  - 1 x =1, a = 1 (c) f ( x) =  4 x = 2, a = 2
- 3 x >1 4 - x 2 x>2
 
x + 3 x>2
(b) f ( x) =  , a=2
3 - x x2

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 CHAPTER 7: LIMITS AND CONTINUITY

9. Evaluate
3 x2 + x + 2
(a) lim+ (c) lim+
x 2 x-2 x 3 x2 - 2 x - 3
x+2
(b) lim
x 3- x-3
10. Evaluate
2x - 1 3x + 5
(a) lim (c) lim
x  + 3 x + 5 x  +
2x2 - 5
-x
(b) lim
x  - x2 + 1
11. Evaluate

(a)

lim  2 +

x  +
1 

x -3
(c) lim
x  +
( x2 + 4 - x )
(b) lim
x  -
( x2 + 4 - x )
PAST YEAR EXAMINATION QUESTIONS
2004/2005
12. Find each of the following limits if they exist.
e3x - 1 x2 - 2
(a) lim (b) lim [6 marks]
x 0 ex -1 x  + 3x + 6

2005/2006
13. Find the following limits.
x2 - 4
(a) lim- [3 marks]
x 2 x-2

 1 1
(b) lim  -  [4 marks]
x 0  x 
 x 1+ x

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 CHAPTER 7: LIMITS AND CONTINUITY

2006/2007

14. Evaluate each of the following limits, if it exists.

x-4
(a) lim [3 marks]
x4
x -2

3x 4 + x
(b) lim [3 marks]
x  + x2 - 6

2009/2010

15. A function f is defined by

 34 , x = -4
 0 , x=2

f ( x) =  17, , x = 4
 4 2
 x - 3x - 4 , x  -4, x  -3, x  2, x  4
 x 2 + x - 6

Evaluate lim
x2
f ( x ). [4 marks]

e 2 x - e -2 x
(b) Evaluate lim . [3 marks]
x 0 e x - e-x

2010/2011 (QA016/2)

16. Evaluate the following limits.

 2- x 
a) lim   [3 marks]
x 2 x 2 - 6 x + 8
 
 3x + 6 
b) xlim   [3 marks]
 + 
 x +2
2

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 CHAPTER 7: LIMITS AND CONTINUITY

x 3 - 2 , x < -2
 2
 17 
 x +  - A, - 2  x < 2
17. Given f ( x) =  8 

Bx + 5 , 2< x5
10 , x>5
a) Evaluate
(i) lim f ( x) . [2
x  -3+
marks]
(ii) lim f ( x) . [2
x 10 -
marks]

2011/2012 (QA016/2)

f ( x) - 5
18. a) If lim = 1, find lim f ( x) . [3 marks]
x4 x-2 x 4

x 3 + 4x 2 + 2x + 8
b) Evaluate lim . [4 marks]
x  -4 x+4
19. Function f is defined as
 x+3
 x2 - 9 , x <1

10 - px, 1  x < 3
f ( x) =  2
x , 3 x  5
 x
 2 , x>5
 2x + 1
a) Evaluate
(i) lim f ( x) . [2
x 5 -
marks]
(ii) lim f ( x) . [3
x  -3

marks]
(iii) lim f ( x) . [3
x 
marks]

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 CHAPTER 7: LIMITS AND CONTINUITY

Find the value of p if lim

x3
f ( x) exists. [4 marks

2012/2013 (QA016/2)

20. Evaluate each of the following limits, if exists.

x -1 -1
(a) lim [4 marks]
x2 x-2

x 2 + 4x - 5
(b) lim [4 marks]
x 1 x -1
2012/2013 (QA016/2)

21. (a) Given

 2x + 4 x<k
f ( x) = 
kx + 5k x>k
Find the value of k > 0 if lim
x k
f ( x ) exist. [5 marks]

(b) The function f is defined as :

 x, x <1

 x + 1, 1  x  3
f ( x) = 
 8 - 2 x, 3 < x < 6
 - 4, x>6

Find

(i) lim f ( x )
x1

(ii) lim f ( x )
x  +

(iii) lim f ( x) [8 marks]

x3

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 CHAPTER 7: LIMITS AND CONTINUITY

SUGGESTED ANSWERS
LIMITS AND CONTINUITY
3
1. (a) 32 (b) (c) -1 (d) -1
5
2. (a) 0 (b) 0 (c) 9 (d) 3
3. (a) -24 (b) does not exist
2 1
4. (a) 0 (b) - (c) 12 (d)
7 4
1
5. (a) (b) 0 (c) - 1 (d) 9
8
6. (a) 0 (b) -1 (c) does not exist (d) 2
7. (a) does not exist (b) (i) a = -1 (ii) -8 , 2 , does not exist

8. (a) lim f ( x) does not exist because lim+ f ( x)  lim- f ( x)

x1 x 1 x 1

(b) lim f ( x) does not exist because lim+ f ( x)  lim- f ( x)

x 2 x2 x2

(c) lim f ( x) = 0
x2

9. (a) + (b) - (c) +

2 3
10. (a) (b) 0 (c)
3 2
11. (a) 2 (b) + (c) 0
1
12. (a) 3 (b)
3
1
13. (a) -4 (b) -
2
14. (a) 4 (b) 3

15. (a) 4 (b) 2

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 CHAPTER 7: LIMITS AND CONTINUITY

1
16. (a) (b) 3
2
17. (a) (i) - 29 (ii) 10
18. (a) 7 (b) 18
1
19. (a) (i) 25 (ii) - (iii) 0
6
1
(b)
3
1
20. (a) b) 6
2
21. (a) k = 1
(b) i. Does not exist ii) -4 iii) 2

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