DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS

Limits and Continuity, Derivatives,

Integration

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LESSON 1: The Limit of a Function: Theorems
and Examples
LEARNING OUTCOMES: At the end of the lesson, the
learner shall be able to:
1. Illustrate the limit of a function using a table of values
and the graph of the function;
2. Distinguish between ;
3. Illustrate the limit theorems; and
4. Apply the limit theorems in evaluating the limit of
algebraic functions (polynomial, rational, and radical).

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LESSON OUTLINE:
1. Evaluation of limits using a table of values
2. Illustrating the limit of a function using the graph of the
function
3. Distinguishing between using a table of values
4. Distinguishing between using the graph of y = f(x)
5. Enumeration of the eight basic limit theorems

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6. Application of the eight basic limit theorems on simple
examples
7. Limits of polynomial functions
8. Limits of rational functions
9. Limits of radical functions
10. Intuitive notions of infinite limits

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Proverbs 3:5-6 (English Standard Version (ESV))
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
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   and do not lean on your own understanding.

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In all your ways acknowledge him,
     and he will make straight your paths.

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Limits and Continuity
Priming Activity

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Game Rule
This activity begins with a test to see how well you can
remember prime numbers:
1. When I give the signal “go”, you will begin to list the prime
numbers beginning with 2 in order. The numbers next to
each blank are there to help you keep count.
2. At each 20 second interval I will say “mark”. At this time,
please make a mark such as / next to the last prime
number you wrote and then continue writing primes.
3. We will continue for 3 minutes, nine 20 second intervals.

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 Summary of Data

Interval 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180

Number

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 Graph
Number

Interval
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The Mersenne Prime
› Euclid proved in the 3rd century BC that there are an
infinite number of prime numbers. A prime number can be
divided only by itself and the number 1. Primes serve as
the building blocks for all positive integers, and have
applications in cryptography and other fields.
› Mersenne numbers are numbers that are one less than a
power of two (2n – 1). A Mersenne number, named after
Marin Mersenne, a French Minim friar, who studied them
in the early 17th century that is also a prime number is
called a Mersenne prime.

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Trivia: Largest Know Prime Number to date

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Lesson Proper
› Consider the following function:
f(x) =

1. What is the (implied) domain of f?

2. As you should have seen in (1), f(x) is undefined when x
= 1. So, it is nonsense to ask what is f(1), right?

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3. Now, take a look at this table. It shows the values of f(x)
when the values for x are very close to Using a calculator,
complete the table.
X f(x) X f(x)
1.5 2.25 0.5  
1.1 1.21 0.9  
1.01 1.0201 0.99  
1.001 1.002001 0.999  
1.0001 1.00020001 0.9999  
1.00001 1.0000200001 0.99999  
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4. Noticed anything? Does it seem that the function values
get closer and closer to a certain value as the values for
the independent variable get closer and closer to 1?

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 ANALYSIS

1. How did you find the activity?

2. What did you find difficult about this task?
3. What information can you get about this task?
4. How can you use this information?
5. What are some common errors which students may
commit? How can we prevent such error? Feel free to
offer a suggestion.
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ABSTRACTION

› Learning Objectives:
At the end of the session, the participants will be able
to:
1. Illustrate the limit of a function using a table of values
and the graph of the function;
2. Distinguish between ;

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Introduction to the Limit

› Suppose you are enjoying a ride in a small airplane, and

then you notice the altimeter reads only 100 feet above
ground! Should you be worried?

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Introduction to the Limit

Increasing Decreasing

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Introduction to Limit
› Calculus is about measuring and describing change
› In the scenario described above, knowing the plane's
altitude at a particular moment in time, is equivalent to
knowing a single point on the graph of a function

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Figure 1: How function moves in a certain direction

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Introduction to Limits
› Function is a relation between two variables that inhibits
an apparent connection. If the variables are x and y, then
y can be determined for some range of values of x. We
call this, y as a function of x denoted by y = f (x).
› Calculus is limited only to those relations that are
functions defined by equations.

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Introduction to Limit
› Limit is a number such that the value of a given function
remains arbitrarily close to this number when the
independent variable is sufficiently close to a specified
point.

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Limit
We say that the limit of f ( x) as x approaches a is L and write

lim f ( x)  L
x a

if the values of f ( x) approach L as x approaches a.

y  f ( x)
L

a
Limit
› LSV
RSV
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Application: Limits of Algebraic Functions

Learning Objectives
• Illustrate the limit Laws for finite limits; and
• Apply the Limit Laws in evaluating finite limits of algebraic
functions (polynomial, rational, and radical) as the
independent variable approaches a number

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Limits of Algebraic Functions

Limit Laws

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Limits of Algebraic Functions

Limit Laws
6. Limit for root functions
provided

Note: All limit laws still hold even if “

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Limits of Algebraic Functions

› Polynomial Functions
where,
› Power Function

› Rational Functions- quotients of polynomial functions

› Root functions

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Limits of Algebraic Functions

Example: Polynomial Function

Evaluate

Solution:
=

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Limits of Algebraic Functions
Limit of a Rational Function

Example:
Evaluate

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Limits of Algebraic Functions
Limit of a Root Function

Example:
Evaluate

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Limits of Algebraic Functions
Limits of Indeterminate Types(0/0)

L’Hopital’s Rule

If ά is a number, if and are differentiable and for all on some

interval , and if then, when exists or is infinite,

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Application
Using a calculator, complete the table and use it to
estimate the indicated limit if it seems to exist. Round off
your answers to 4 decimal places.

x -3.1 -3.01 -3.001 -2.999 -2.99 -2.9

f(x)

x -0.1 -0.01 -0.001 0.001 0.01 0.1

f(x)
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"The title which I most covet is that of teacher. The writing
of a research paper and the teaching of freshman calculus,
and everything in between, falls under this rubric.   Happy
is the person who comes to understand something and
then gets to explain it."
     
— Marshall Cohen

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 GROUP ASSIGNMENTS

Group 1 : Module 1- LIMITS INVOLVING ALGEBRAIC FUNCTIONS Module 6 -

IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION, HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES

Group 2 : Module 2- LIMITS INVOLVING INFINITY

Module 7- RATES OF CHANGE AND RELATED RATES, OPTIMIZATION PROBLEMS

Group 3 : Module 3- LIMITS OF EXPONENTIAL AND TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS, CONTINUITY

Module 8- ANTIDERATIVES, SUBSTITUTION RULE AND TABLES OF INTEGRALS

Group 4 : Module 4- DERIVATIVES, RATES OF CHANGE, TANGENT LINES

Module 9- SEPARABLE DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION, AREAS, RIEMAN SUMS, DEFINITE INTEGRAL

Group 5 : Module 5- BASIC DIFFERENTIATION RULES, CHAIN RULE

Module 10- THE FUNDAMENTAL THEOREM OF CALCULUS, AREAS OF PLANE REGIONS