Questions
Question 1
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State the condition for \(f\) to be continuous at \(x=a\).
Question 2
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Name the discontinuity when the left and right limits exist but are unequal.
Question 3
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Is \(f(x)=x^2+1\) continuous at \(x=3\)?
Question 4
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Why is \(f(x)=1/x\) not continuous at \(x=0\)?
Question 5
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Determine whether \(f(x)=\frac{x^2-4}{x-2}\) is continuous at \(x=2\).
Question 6
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For \(f(x)=\sqrt{x-1}\), state the interval on which \(f\) is continuous.
Question 7
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Let \(f(x)=x+1\) for \(x<0\) and \(f(x)=2x+1\) for \(x\ge0\). Is \(f\) continuous at \(0\)?
Question 8
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Let \(f(x)=x\) for \(x<1\) and \(f(x)=3\) for \(x\ge1\). Classify the discontinuity at \(x=1\).
Question 9
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Define \(f(2)\) so that \(f(x)=\frac{x^2-4}{x-2}\) for \(x\ne2\) becomes continuous at \(2\).
Question 10
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Find \(c\) so that \(f(x)=x^2\) for \(x<2\) and \(f(x)=cx+1\) for \(x\ge2\) is continuous at \(2\).
Question 11
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Use continuity to evaluate \(\lim_{x\to0}\cos(x^2+1)\).
Question 12
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Explain why a removable discontinuity has a limit but is not continuous.
Question 13
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Find all discontinuities of \(f(x)=\frac{x+1}{x^2-1}\) and classify them.
Question 14
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Show that \(f(x)=\frac{x^2-9}{x-3}\) can be redefined to be continuous at \(x=3\), and give the value.
Question 15
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Find \(a\) and \(b\) so that \(f(x)=ax+b\) for \(x<1\), \(f(x)=x^2\) for \(1\le x<2\), and \(f(x)=3x+b\) for \(x\ge2\) is continuous at \(1\) and \(2\).
Question 16
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For what values of \(k\) is \(f(x)=\frac{x^2-k^2}{x-k}\) removable at \(x=k\) rather than undefined everywhere near \(k\)?
Question 17
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Find \(c\) so that \(f(x)=\frac{x^2-cx}{x}\) for \(x\ne0\) and \(f(0)=5\) is continuous at \(0\).
Question 18
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A student says every function with \(f(a)\) defined is continuous at \(a\). Give a counterexample and explain.
Question 19
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Use the intermediate value theorem to show that \(x^3+x-1=0\) has a solution in \((0,1)\).
Question 20
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Explain why \(f(x)=\sin(1/x)\) is not continuous at \(0\), even if someone defines \(f(0)=0\).