AP Calculus BC

Chapter 2 – Student Notes

Common Types of Behavior Associated with the Nonexistence of a Limit

1. f ( x) approaches a different number from the right side of c than it approaches

from the left side.
2. f ( x) increases or decreases without bound as x approaches c.
3. f ( x) oscillates between two fixed values as x approaches c.

Definition of Limit

Let f be a function defined on an open interval containing c (except possibly at c) and

let L be a real number. The statement

lim
x�c
f ( x) = L

means that for each e > 0 there exists a d > 0 such that if
0 <| x - c |< d , then | f ( x) - L |< e

The Limit of a Function Involving a Radical

Let n be a positive integer. The following limit is valid for all c if n is odd, and is valid
for c>0 if n is even.

lim n x =nc
x�c

The Limit of a Composite Function

If f and g are functions such that lim

x�c
g ( x) = L and lim f ( x) = f ( L), then
x�L

lim
x�c
f ( g ( x)) = f (lim
x�c
g ( x)) = f ( L)

1
AP Calculus BC
Chapter 2 – Student Notes
Limits of Trigonometric Functions

Let c be a real number in the domain of the given trigonometric function.

1. limsin
x�c
x = sin c
2. limcos
x�c
x = cos c
3. lim
x�c
tan x = tan c
4. limcot
x�c
x = cot c
5. limsec
x�c
x = sec c
6. limcsc
x�c
x = csc c

The Sandwich or Squeeze Theorem

If h( x) �f ( x) �g ( x) for all x in an open interval containing c, except possibly at c

itself, and if

lim
x�c
h( x) = L = lim
x�c
g ( x)

then lim
x�c
f ( x) exists and is equal to L.

Two Special Trigonometric Limits

1. lim sin x = 1
x�0 x

2. lim 1- cos x = 0
x�0 x
Definition of a Horizontal Asymptote

The line y=L is a horizontal asymptote of the graph of f if

lim f ( x) = L or xlim
x�-� ��
f ( x) = L

2
AP Calculus BC
Chapter 2 – Student Notes
Limits at Infinity

If r is a positive rational number and c is any real number, then

c
lim =0
x�� xr

Furthermore, if xr is defined when x < 0 , then

lim c = 0.
x�-�x r

Guidelines for Finding Limits at Infinity of Rational Functions

1. If the degree of the numerator is less than the degree of the denominator, then the
limit of the rational function is 0.
2. If the degree of the numerator is equal to the degree of the denominator, then the
limit of the rational function is the ratio of the leading coefficients.
3. If the degree of the numerator is greater than the degree of the denominator, then
the limit of the rational function does not exist.

Definition of Continuity

Continuity at a Point: A function f is continuous at c if the following three conditions

are met.

1. f (c) is defined.
2. lim
x�c
f ( x) exists.
3. lim
x�c
f ( x) = f (c)

Continuity on an Open Interval: A function is continuous on an open interval (a, b) if it is

continuous at each point in the interval. A function that is continuous on the entire real
line ( -��
, ) is everywhere continuous.
The Existence of a Limit

Let f be a function and let c and L be real numbers. The limit of f ( x) as x

approaches c is L if and only if

lim f ( x) = L and lim+ f ( x) = L.

x�c- x�c

3
AP Calculus BC
Chapter 2 – Student Notes
Definition of Continuity on a Closed Interval

A function f is continuous on the closed interval [a, b] if it is continuous on the open

interval (a, b) and

lim f ( x) = f (a) and lim- f ( x) = f (b).

x�a+ x�b

The function f is continuous from the right at a and continuous from the left at b.

Properties of Continuity

If b is a real number and f and g are continuous at x = c , then the following

functions are also continuous at c.

1. Scalar multiple: bf
2. Sum and difference: f �g
3. Product: fg
f , if g (c) �0
4. Quotient:
g

Continuity of a Composite Function

If g is continuous at c and f is continuous at g (c) , then the composite function given

by ( f og ) ( x ) = f ( g ( x ) ) is continuous at c.
Intermediate Value Theorem

If f is continuous on the closed interval [a, b] and k is any number between

f (a) and f (b) , then there is at least one number c in [a, b] such that f (c) = k.

4
AP Calculus BC
Chapter 2 – Student Notes
Definition of a Vertical Asymptote

If f ( x) approaches infinity (or negative infinity) as x approaches c from the right or the
left, then the line x=c is a vertical asymptote of the graph of f .

Vertical Asymptotes

Let f and g f (c) �0, g (c) = 0 ,

be continuous on an open interval containing c. If
and there exists an open interval containing c such that g ( x) �0 for all x �c in the
f ( x)
interval, then the graph of the function given by h( x) = has a vertical asymptote
g ( x)
at x=c.

Properties of Infinite Limits

Let c and L be real numbers and let f and g be functions such that

lim
x�c
f ( x) = � and lim
x�c
g ( x) = L

1. Sum or Difference: lim �f ( x) �g ( x) �= �

x�c � �
lim �f ( x) g ( x) �= �, L > 0
x�c � �
2. Product:
lim �f ( x) g ( x) �= -�, L < 0
x�c � �
g ( x) = 0
3. Quotient: lim
x�c f ( x)
Similar properties hold for one-sided limits and for functions for which the limit of
f ( x) as x approaches c is -�.