Question Sheet 2, Continuity v2
Question Sheet 2, Continuity v2
Question Sheet 2, Continuity v2
2. Let
x2 − 2x − 15
f (x) = , x 6= −3.
x+3
How should f (−3) be defined so that f is continuous at −3?
1
5. Are the following functions continuous on the domains given or not?
Either prove that they are by using the appropriate continuity rules,
or show they are not.
i)
x+2
f (x) = on R.
x2 + 1
ii)
3 + 2x
g (x) = ,
x2 − 1
firstly on [−1/2, 1/2], secondly on [−2, 2] .
iii)
x2 + x − 2
h (x) = on R.
(x2 + 1) (x − 1)
iv)
x+2 if x < −1
j (x) = x2 if − 1 ≤ x ≤ 1 .
x−2 if x > 1
v)
sin x x 6= 0
k (x) = x .
1 x=0
vi)
1 − sin x
` (x) = on R.
ex
6. Using
cos (x + y) = cos x cos y − sin x sin y,
for all x, y ∈ R, prove that
(i) cos x is continuous on R,
(ii) tan x is continuous for all x 6= π/2 + kπ, k ∈ Z.
7. Show that the hyperbolic functions sinh x, cosh x and tanh x are con-
tinuous on R.
2
8. State the Composite Rule for functions.
(i) Evaluate
sin x
lim exp .
x→0 x
is continuous on R.
i)
1
ex =
x
has a solution in [0, 1] .
iii)
2 cos2 x + 3 cos x + 1 = 2x2 + 3x + 1
has a solution in [0, π/2] .
iv)
x 1
+ =π
sin x cos x
has a solution with x ∈ (0, π/2) .
3
12. Recall the result in the notes that a continuous function on a closed
interval is bounded.
Give examples of
(i) for all n ∈ N, with n even, then xn is strictly increasing on [0, ∞),
xn1 − xn2 = (x1 − x2 ) x1n−1 + x2 xn−2 + x22 x1n−3 + ... + x2n−2 x1 + xn−1
1 2
and show that if x1 > x2 then both factors on the right are of the
same sign and neither is zero. In (iii) it might help to look at 3 cases,
x1 > x2 ≥ 0, x1 > 0 > x2 and 0 ≥ x1 > x2 .
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15. Prove that the hyperbolic functions sinh x and tanh x are strictly in-
creasing on R while cosh x is strictly increasing on [0, ∞).
i) sinh−1 : R → R,
17. Prove that the natural logarithm, defined as the inverse of the expo-
nential function, satisfies
ln a + ln b = ln ab
(As throughout this course you may assume that ex ey = ex+y for all
x, y ∈ R.)