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Mathheematics For Science Week 2 Lecture Notes

This document covers key concepts in functions, limits, and continuity that will be learned during Week 2. These include: 1) Testing if a graph represents a function using the vertical line test, finding the domain and range of functions, and evaluating limits. 2) Defining limits intuitively and using techniques like direct substitution, factor cancellation, and rationalizing to compute them algebraically. 3) Explaining continuity intuitively as a smooth line and rigorously using the epsilon-delta definition, and providing examples of determining continuity.

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36 views8 pages

Mathheematics For Science Week 2 Lecture Notes

This document covers key concepts in functions, limits, and continuity that will be learned during Week 2. These include: 1) Testing if a graph represents a function using the vertical line test, finding the domain and range of functions, and evaluating limits. 2) Defining limits intuitively and using techniques like direct substitution, factor cancellation, and rationalizing to compute them algebraically. 3) Explaining continuity intuitively as a smooth line and rigorously using the epsilon-delta definition, and providing examples of determining continuity.

Uploaded by

covid19problemz
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Week 2: Functions, Limits & Continuity

Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to

 test whether a graph represents a function


 find the domain of a function
 evaluate limits
 determine the continuity of a function

Functions
If a variable y depends on a variable x such that each value of x determines exactly one value of
y, then y is a function of x. We can use the vertical line test to determine whether a graph is a
function or not.

The Vertical Line Test


A curve is the graph of a function f if and only if NO vertical line intersects the curve more than
once.

Domain and Range of a Function


 Domain of f: The set of all allowable inputs (x-values).
 Range of f: The set of outputs (y-values) that result when x varies over the domain.
Examples
1. Find the natural domain of y = x2 + 2x + 1.

Solution: y = x2+2x+1 is a quadratic polynomial which is defined for all real x values. Thus its
domain is {x|xєR}. Remark: For any polynomial the domain is {x|xєR}.

2. Find the natural domain of

3. Find the natural domain of


Limits
The concept of a "limit" is the fundamental building block on which all calculus concepts are
based. We will first study limits informally and then give techniques for calculating them.

Limits (An Intuitive Approach)


Computing Limits

Algebraic Computations of limits


For piecewise Functions:
If f(x) is a piecewise function with the rule changing at x = a, compute one sided limits. If the
one-sided limits are same then that's the answer. If not, then limit does not exist.

For functions that are not piecewise:


 Substitute x = a in f(x). If f(a) is defined, then the limit is f(a).
 If you get (0/0) in the computation of f(a), simplify the function, and then compute the
limit.
 If only denominator is zero, then limit does not exist.

Examples
Direct substitution:

Cancellation of common factors:


Rationalizing

Piecewise Functions
Continuity
Intuitive Description of Continuity

The Rigorous Definition of Continuity

Examples

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