NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

MA2002 Calculus Solution to Tutorial 3

T UTORIAL PART I

1. (i) It is given by definition that f (1) = 1. Since

lim f (x) = lim− 2x = 2 and lim f (x) = lim+ (−2x + 4) = 2,

x→1− x→1 x→1+ x→1

lim f (x) exists and equals 2. Since lim f (x) #= f (1), f is discontinuous at x = 1.
x→1 x→1

(ii) f is undefined at x = 2, so f (2) does not exist. lim− f (x) = lim− (−2x + 4) = 0.
x→2 x→2
Since f (2) does not exist, f is discontinuous at x = 2.
y

1 !

O0 1 2 x

1
2. (a) lim f (x) = lim does not exist, so f is discontinuous at x = 1.
x→1 x→1 x −1 ! !
! 1 !
!
Since lim | f (x)| = lim ! ! = ∞, f has an infinite discontinuity at x = 1.
x→1 x→1 x − 1 !
y

2 !

O
0
−1 0 1 2 3 x

−1

−2

x2 − x x(x − 1) x 1
(b) lim f (x) = lim 2
= lim = lim = #= 1 = f (1), so f is discontinuous
x→1 x→1 x − 1 x→1 (x + 1)(x − 1) x→1 x + 1 2
at x = 1. Since lim f (x) exists, f has a removable discontinuity at x = 1.
x→1
1
2 MA2002 CALCULUS TUTORIAL SOLUTION 3

1 !

O
0
−3 −2 −1 0 1 2 x

−1

(c) Let x > 1. If x is rational, then 1 < f (x) = x; if x is irrational, then 1 = f (x) < x. So
1 ≤ f (x) ≤ x for all real numbers x > 1.
Since lim+ 1 = lim+ x = 1, by squeeze theorem, lim+ f (x) = 1.
x→1 x→1 x→1
Let x < 1. If x is rational, then x = f (x) < 1; if x is irrational, then x < f (x) = 1. So
x ≤ f (x) ≤ 1 for all real numbers x < 1.
Since lim− x = lim− 1 = 1, by squeeze theorem, lim− f (x) = 1.
x→1 x→1 x→1
Then lim f (x) = 1 = f (1). So f is continuous at x = 1.
x→1
y

O
0
−2 −1 0 1 2 3 x

−1

−2

3. (a) Let f (x) = sin x + x + 1. Then

f (−π) = 1 − π < 0 and f (0) = 1 > 0.

Since f is continuous on [−π, 0], by intermediate value theorem, there exists a number
c ∈ (−π, 0) such that f (c) = 0.
Therefore, sin x + x + 1 = 0 has at least one real solution x = c.
' 10
(b) Let f (x) = x −3− . Then
x −5
' '
f (6) = 3 − 10 < 0 and f (10) = 7 − 2 > 0.
 MA2002 CALCULUS TUTORIAL SOLUTION 3 3

Since f is continuous on [6, 10], by intermediate value theorem, there exists a number
c ∈ (6, 10) such that f (c) = 0.
' 10
Therefore, x − 3 = has at least one real solution x = c.
x −5

4. (a) The slope of the tangent line of y = f (x) at (−1, 3) is

f (x) − f (−1) (4 − x 2 ) − 3
m = f ( (−1) = lim = lim
x→−1 x − (−1) x→−1 x +1
(1 + x)(1 − x)
= lim = lim (1 − x) = 2.
x→−1 1+x x→−1

Then the tangent line of y = f (x) passing through (−1, 3) is given by

y − 3 = 2(x + 1); that is, y = 2x + 5.

(b) The slope of the tangent line of y = f (x) at (2, 8) is

f (x) − f (2) x3 − 8 (x − 2)(x 2 + 2x + 4)
m = f ( (2) = lim = lim = lim
x→2 x −2 x→2 x − 2 x→2 x −2
= lim (x 2 + 2x + 4) = 12.
x→2

Then the tangent line of y = f (x) passing through (2, 8) is given by

y − 8 = 12(x − 2); that is, y = 12x − 16.

!
2 ( (!
5. i) Suppose the line " is tangent to y = x at x = a. Since y = 2x and y ! = 2a, the
x=a
2 2
equation of " can be written as y − a = 2a(x − a); that is, y = 2ax − a .
!
2 ( (!
ii) Suppose the line " is also tangent to y = x −2x +2 at x = b. Since y = 2x −2 and y ! =
x=b
2
2b − 2, the equation of " can also be written as y − (b − 2b + 2) = (2b − 2)(x − b); that is,
y = (2b − 2)x − b 2 + 2.
iii) Note that the slope-intercept form of " is unique. Then

2b − 2 = 2a and − b 2 + 2 = −a 2 .

Solving the simultaneous equations, we have a = 1/2 and b = 3/2.

Then the equation of " is y = x − 1/4.

f (x) − f (−2) |x + 2| −(x + 2)

6. lim − = lim − = lim − = lim − (−1) = −1.
x→−2 x − (−2) x→−2 x + 2 x→−2 x +2 x→−2
f (x) − f (−2) |x + 2| x +2
lim = lim + = lim + = lim + 1 = 1.
x→−2+ x − (−2) x→−2 x + 2 x→−2 x + 2 x→−2
( f (x) − f (−2)
Then f (−2) = lim does not exist. Hence, f is not differentiable at x = −2.
x→−2 x − (−2)
4 MA2002 CALCULUS TUTORIAL SOLUTION 3

7. Clearly f is differentiable on R \ {2}. Suppose f is differentiable at x = 2. In particular, f is

continuous at x = 2. Then
lim f (x) = lim f (x) = f (2).
x→2+ x→2

That is, 2m + b = 4.
f (x) − f (2) x2 − 4 (x − 2)(x + 2)
lim− = lim− = lim− = lim− (x + 2) = 4.
x→2 x −2 x→2 x − 2 x→2 x −2 x→2
f (x) − f (2) (mx + b) − 4 mx − 2m
lim = lim+ = lim+ = lim+ m = m.
x→2+ x −2 x→2 x −2 x→2 x −2 x→2
f (x) − f (2)
Since f ( (2) = lim exists, we must have m = 4. So b = 4 − 2m = −4.
x→2 x −2
" # " #
dy 2 ( 1 2 1 (
8. (a) = (x + 1) x + 5 + + (x + 1) x + 5 +
dx " # x " # x " #
1 2 1 2 2 1
= 2x x + 5 + + (x + 1) 1 − 2 = (2x + 10x + 2) + x − 2
x x x
2 1
= 3x + 10x + 2 − 2 .
x

( (x 2 − 4)( (x + 0.5) − (x 2 − 4)(x + 0.5)( 2x(x + 0.5) − (x 2 − 4) x 2 + x + 4

(b) g (x) = = = .
(x + 0.5)2 (x + 0.5)2 (x + 0.5)2
" # " #
dv 1 4 ( 1 1 1
(c) = +1− ' = − 2 − 4 − x −3/2 = − 2 + 2x −3/2 .
dx x x x 2 x

(x 3 + x)( (x 4 − 2) − (x 3 + x)(x 4 − 2)( (3x 2 + 1)(x 4 − 2) − (x 3 + x)4x 3

(d) f ( (x) = =
(x 4 − 2)2 (x 4 − 2)2
6 4 2 6 4 6 4 2
(3x + x − 6x − 2) − (4x + 4x ) x + 3x + 6x + 2
= 4 2
=− .
(x − 2) (x 4 − 2)2

T UTORIAL PART II

1. Define f (x) = a(x 3 + x − 2) + b(x 3 + 2x 2 − 1). Then

f (−1) = −4a < 0, f (1) = 2b > 0, and f is continuous on [−1, 1].

By Intermediate Value Theorem, there exists a number c ∈ (−1, 1) such that f (c) = 0.
We shall verify that c is a solution to neither x 3 + x − 2 = 0 nor x 3 + 2x 2 − 1 = 0.
i) x 3 + x − 2 = (x − 1)(x 2 + x + 2) #= 0 for all x ∈ (−1, 1). In particular, c is not a solution to
x 3 + x − 2 = 0.
ii) Since f (c) = 0, b(c 3 +2c 2 −1) = −a(c 3 +c −2) #= 0. So c is also not a solution to x 3 +2x 2 −1 =
0.
a b
Therefore, c ∈ (−1, 1) is a solution to + = 0.
x 3 + 2x 2 − 1 x3 + x − 2
 MA2002 CALCULUS TUTORIAL SOLUTION 3 5

2. For f to be continuous at x = 3, we must have lim f (x) = f (3). In particular,

x→3

lim f (x) = f (3).

x→3−

That is, lim− (x 2 − 1) = 2a · 3, which implies that 8 = 6a, i.e., a = 4/3. Thus
x→3
$
x 2 − 1, if x < 3,
f (x) =
8x/3, if x ≥ 3.
Now
f (3 + h) − f (3) ((3 + h)2 − 1) − 8
lim− = lim− = lim− (h + 6) = 6,
h→0 h h→0 h h→0
8(3+h)
f (3 + h) − f (3) 3
−8 8 8
lim+ = lim+ = lim+ = .
h→0 h h→0 h h→0 3 3
f (3 + h) − f (3) f (3 + h) − f (3)
Since lim− #= lim+ , f is not differentiable at x = 3.
h→0 h h→0 h

3. (i) It is given that |g (x)| ≤ x 2 for all −1 ≤ x ≤ 1. In particular, |g (0)| ≤ 0. So we must have
g (0) = 0. Therefore,
g (x) − g (0) g (x)
lim = lim .
x→0
! x! − 0 x→0 x
! g (x) !
If −1 ≤ x ≤ 1 and x #= 0, then !! ! ≤ |x|; that is, −|x| ≤ g (x) ≤ |x|.
x ! x
g (x)
As lim (−|x|) = lim |x| = 0, by Squeeze Theorem, lim exists and equals 0.
x→0 x→0 x→0 x
Therefore, g is differentiable at x = 0 and g ( (0) = 0.

(ii) If x #= 0, then |g (x)| = |x 2 sin(1/x)| ≤ x 2 ; if x = 0, then |g (0)| = 0 ≤ 02 . So |g (x)| ≤ x 2 for all

x ∈ R.
Therefore, by (i) g is differentiable at x = 0 and g ( (0) = 0.