AP Calculus 12

Chapter 2 Limits and Continuity

Ch 2.1 The Limit of a Function
Learning Targets:
 Understand the idea of a limit in general and how to calculate them in
various forms

Limits in General

As x approaches 3, it appears that f(x) approaches

Existence of a limit:
The limit of a function f(x) exists at x = a if and only if both of the one-sided limits exist
and have the same value of L.

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 AP Calculus 12
Given the graph of f(x), evaluate the following limits

a) lim 𝑓(𝑥) b) lim 𝑓(𝑥) c) lim 𝑓(𝑥)

→ → →

a) lim 𝑓(𝑥) b) lim 𝑓(𝑥) c) lim 𝑓(𝑥)

→ → →

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Example 1:

𝑥≠1
Given 𝑓(𝑥) = ,
3 𝑥=1
find the value of lim 𝑓(𝑥)
→

Using the graph in example 1, evaluate lim 𝑓(𝑥) and lim 𝑓(𝑥)
→ →

Example 2:
2−𝑥 𝑥≤2
Given 𝑔(𝑥) = ,
𝑥 𝑥>2
find the value of lim 𝑔(𝑥)
→

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Direct Substitution Property

For general functions

 If 𝑓(𝑎) = 𝐿, where L is a number, the the limit is L

 If 𝑓(𝑎) = , where 𝐿 ≠ 0, then there is no limit

 If 𝑓(𝑎) = , we must simplify and then substitute again

Example 3:

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 AP Calculus 12
Using a conjugate to simplify

Example 4:

√
→

Practice Questions:
Page 39 – 47 : EX1 – EX8

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 AP Calculus 12

Chapter 2 Limits and Continuity

Ch 2.2 Limits Involving Infinity
Learning Targets:
 Relate limits involving infinity to horizontal and vertical asymptotes of a
function

Consider the function 𝑓(𝑥) =

As the values of x get larger and larger, the

function appears to be approaching
So as a limit ->

In general then

If r is a positive number, then

If r is a positive number and 𝒙𝒓 is defined for all x then,

So, if we can get our terms into that form, then we can easily evaluate them as they
approach infinity in either direction
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 AP Calculus 12

Divide both the numerator and the denominator by the highest power of x present in
the denominator. We are also using some of the limit properties found on page 42 of
your workbook
Example 1: Evaluate the following limit
𝟑𝒙 𝟒
𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝒙→ 𝟔𝒙𝟐 𝟏

Example 2: Evaluate the following limit

𝟑𝒙𝟐 𝟓𝒙 𝟐
𝐥𝐢𝐦
𝒙→ 𝟐𝒙𝟐 𝒙 𝟒

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Horizontal Asymptotes
..
For rational functions of the form 𝑦 =
..

Example 3:
Find the equation of the horizontal asymptote of the following rational function
𝟐𝒙𝟐 𝟏
𝒚=
𝒙𝟐 𝒙 𝟏

If the line y = L is a horizontal asymptote of the graph of y = f(x), then

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 AP Calculus 12

Vertical Asymptotes
If the line x = a is a vertical asymptote of the graph of y = f(x), then

Consider the function 𝑓(𝑥) =

Notice that this function cannot be simplified, so to evaluate it’s one-sided limits
without graphing, we need to consider values that are close to 0.

Example 4: Given the following function, find the equation of the vertical asymptote
and describe the behaviour of the function around the asymptote.
𝟐 𝒙
𝒚=
𝒙 𝟑

Practice Questions: Page 51 – 57 EX1 – EX8

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 AP Calculus 12

Chapter 2 Limits and Continuity

Ch 2.3 Continuity
Learning Targets:
 Relate our understanding of limits to the idea of continuity in a function
 Analyze graphs and functions to determine places of discontinuity
Three-part Definition of Continuity
1.

2.

3.

At x = 1

At x = 0

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 AP Calculus 12

Example 1:

Sketch the graph of (𝑥 ) = . Find all the values of x at which f is discontinuous

and find the limit of f at each of the discontinuous points.

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Example 2:

Practice Questions: Page 60 – 64, EX1 – EX6

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 AP Calculus 12

Chapter 2 Limits and Continuity

Ch 2.4 Average Rate of Change & Instantaneous Rate of Change
Learning Targets:
 Relate our understanding of limits to the idea of instantaneous rate of
change and the tangent problem

Average rate of change of f with respect to x over 𝑎 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 𝑏

Example 1:
Find the average rate of change for 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 3 with respect to x in the interval [1,3]

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Instantaneous Rate of Change

From our first lesson, we

discovered that the slope of the
tangent line at any point on a curve
could be thought of as the limit of
slopes of secant lines.
The slope of the secant line PQ

We can think of this in two ways

1) 2)

Example 2:
Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 + 1 at x = 2
1) 2)

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 AP Calculus 12

Example 3:

Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve 𝑓(𝑥) = at (1 , -1)

Practice Questions: Page 65 – 68, EX1 – EX2

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 AP Calculus 12

Chapter 2 Limits and Continuity

Ch 2.5 Squeeze Theorem
Learning Targets:
 Use the squeeze theorem to determine limits of composite functions

If 𝑔(𝑥) ≤ 𝑓(𝑥) ≤ ℎ(𝑥) and

then

This makes sense graphically

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 AP Calculus 12

Example 1:

Prove that lim 𝑥 cos( ) = 0

→

Practice Questions: Page 69 – 70, EX1 – EX2

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 AP Calculus 12

Chapter 2 Limits and Continuity

Ch 2.6 Limits of Trigonometric Functions
Learning Targets:
 Use our knowledge of limits to evaluate limits of trigonometric functions

Based on the graph of we can see that the lim =1

→

We can also show that lim =1

→

∎ ∎
It follows that lim = 1 and lim =1
→ ∎ → ∎

Example 1:
Evaluate the following limits

a) lim b) lim
→ →

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 AP Calculus 12

( )
c) lim
→

Practice Questions: Page 71 – 75, EX1 – EX3

Ch 2.7 Limits of Exponential and Logarithmic Functions

Learning Targets:
 Use our knowledge of limits to evaluate limits of logarithmic and
exponential functions

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 AP Calculus 12

Euler’s Number:

Example 1: Evaluate the following limits

a) lim (1 + ) b) lim (1 − 2𝑥)

→ →

Practice Questions: Page 76 – 79, EX1 – EX4

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