Real Numbers
An auto parts store sells brake pads whose diameter must be $12.5$ mm, but the factory accepts a deviation of up to $0.05$ mm. How do you say "almost equal to $12.5$" with math, in a way that works for a machine and not just for a person? The answer (absolute value, intervals, and neighborhoods) is the foundation of the entire Limits and continuity unit. This review gathers what you need to master without thinking.
Number sets, exponents, radicals, and logarithms
Classify the following real numbers, indicating which number sets they belong to: natural numbers ($\mathbb{N}$), integers ($\mathbb{Z}$), rational numbers…
Classify the following real numbers, indicating which number sets they belong to: natural numbers ($\mathbb{N}$), integers ($\mathbb{Z}$), rational numbers ($\mathbb{Q}$), or irrational numbers ($\mathbb{I}$). Briefly justify your answer for decimal numbers and roots:
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$a) \ - \sqrt{16}$
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$b) \ \frac{15}{3}$
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$c) \ 2.131313...$
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$d) \ \sqrt{7}$
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$e) \ \frac{\pi}{2}$
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$f) \ -4.25$
Simplify the following expressions using the properties of powers and roots, giving the result in the form of a power with a fractional exponent:…
Simplify the following expressions using the properties of powers and roots, giving the result in the form of a power with a fractional exponent:
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$a) \ \sqrt[3]{x^2} \times \sqrt{x}$
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$b) \ \frac{x^3}{\sqrt[4]{x}}$
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$c) \ (\sqrt[5]{x^2})^3$
Simplify the following expression involving radicals and powers, expressing the final result as a single power of base $a$ with a rational exponent:…
Simplify the following expression involving radicals and powers, expressing the final result as a single power of base $a$ with a rational exponent:
$$\frac{\sqrt[3]{a^2} \times a^{-1/2}}{\sqrt{a \times \sqrt[3]{a}}}$$Note: Assume that $a > 0$.
The design of a triangular metal part requires its sides to measure $\sqrt{18}$ cm, $\sqrt{50}$ cm, and $\sqrt{98}$ cm. a) Simplify each of the radicals by extracting…
The design of a triangular metal part requires its sides to measure $\sqrt{18}$ cm, $\sqrt{50}$ cm, and $\sqrt{98}$ cm.
a) Simplify each of the radicals by extracting factors.
b) Calculate the exact perimeter of the part, expressing it as a single radical.
c) If the material used costs $50$ pesos per centimeter of perimeter, calculate the total cost rounded to two decimal places.
Using the properties of logarithms, expand the following expression in terms of $\log x$, $\log y$, and $\log z$: $$L = \log \left( \frac{100 \times x^3 \times…
Using the properties of logarithms, expand the following expression in terms of $\log x$, $\log y$, and $\log z$:
$$L = \log \left( \frac{100 \times x^3 \times \sqrt{y}}{z^2} \right)$$Then, given that $\log x = 0.5$, $\log y = 1.2$, and $\log z = 0.8$, calculate the numerical value of $L$.
Intervals and inequalities
An interval is a "stretch" of the real line. It is written with parentheses when the endpoint is not included and with brackets when it is.
| Interval | Inequality | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| $(a, b)$ | $a < x < b$ | open |
| $[a, b]$ | $a \le x \le b$ | closed |
| $[a, b)$ | $a \le x < b$ | half-open |
| $[a, +\infty)$ | $x \ge a$ | ray |
| $(-\infty, b)$ | $x < b$ | ray |
With $\infty$ you always use a parenthesis, because infinity is not a number you can reach. The union $A\cup B$ combines the points of both. The intersection $A\cap B$ keeps only the points that are in both.
Represent the following intervals and rays on the real number line, and express them using set notation (using inequalities). For $I_3$, which already appears with…
Represent the following intervals and rays on the real number line, and express them using set notation (using inequalities). For $I_3$, which already appears with inequalities, also write it in interval notation.
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$I_1 = (-3, 2]$
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$I_2 = [0, +\infty)$
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$I_3 = \{x \in \mathbb{R} \mid -1 < x < 4\}$
To determine the domain of a future function, we need to solve the following quadratic inequality: $$-x^2 + 5x - 4 > 0$$ a) Find the roots of the associated polynomial.…
To determine the domain of a future function, we need to solve the following quadratic inequality:
$$-x^2 + 5x - 4 > 0$$a) Find the roots of the associated polynomial.
b) Determine the solution set in interval form.
c) Justify the result by analysing the sign of the polynomial in each section of the number line.
Given the following subsets of the real line: $A = \{ x \in \mathbb{R} : |x - 2| < 3 \}$ $B = [ -1, 4 ]$ a) Express the set $A$ using interval notation. b) Calculate and…
Given the following subsets of the real line:
$A = \{ x \in \mathbb{R} : |x - 2| < 3 \}$
$B = [ -1, 4 ]$
a) Express the set $A$ using interval notation.
b) Calculate and express using interval notation the set resulting from the intersection $A \cap B$.
c) Calculate and express using interval notation the set resulting from the union $A \cup B$.
Absolute value: distance, equations, and inequalities
For example, the distance between $x=-8$ and $y=-3$ is $|-8-(-3)|=|-5|=5$.
Calculate the distance between the following pairs of points on the number line using the concept of modulus: $a)$ $x = 5$ and $y = -2$ $b)$ $x = -8$ and $y = -3$ $c)$…
Calculate the distance between the following pairs of points on the number line using the concept of modulus:
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$a)$ $x = 5$ and $y = -2$
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$b)$ $x = -8$ and $y = -3$
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$c)$ $x = \frac{1}{2}$ and $y = \frac{3}{4}$
Find the values of $x$ that satisfy the following equations and inequalities involving absolute values. Express the result as an interval: $a) \ |x| = 7$…
Find the values of $x$ that satisfy the following equations and inequalities involving absolute values. Express the result as an interval:
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$a) \ |x| = 7$
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$b) \ |x - 2| = 5$
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$c) \ |x| < 3$
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$d) \ |x + 1| \leq 2$
A biotechnology laboratory maintains an enzyme sample in a climate chamber. To prevent the enzymes from denaturing, the temperature $T$ (in degrees Celsius) must satisfy…
A biotechnology laboratory maintains an enzyme sample in a climate chamber. To prevent the enzymes from denaturing, the temperature $T$ (in degrees Celsius) must satisfy the following condition:
$$|2T - 15| \le 25$$Solve the inequality and determine the temperature range (interval) in which researchers can work without damaging the sample.
Tolerances: modeling "almost equal"
This closes the hook from the beginning. "The diameter $x$ differs from $12.5$ mm by at most $0.05$ mm" translates directly as a distance:
$$|x - 12.5| \le 0.05 \quad\Longleftrightarrow\quad 12.45 \le x \le 12.55 \quad\Longleftrightarrow\quad x\in[12.45,\ 12.55].$$In general, $|x-c|\le t$ is equivalent to the interval $[c-t,\ c+t]$: the central value $\pm$ the tolerance.
In an electronic component store, the price of a racing drone model fluctuates according to market supply. It is known that the price $p$ in pesos satisfies the…
In an electronic component store, the price of a racing drone model fluctuates according to market supply. It is known that the price $p$ in pesos satisfies the condition $|p - 3\,000| \leq 400$.
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$a)$ Determine the interval of possible prices for this drone.
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$b)$ What are the minimum and maximum prices that a user could pay?
In the manufacturing process of microchips for satellites, the length of a copper track must be $12.5$ microns. For thermal reasons, a margin of error (tolerance) is…
In the manufacturing process of microchips for satellites, the length of a copper track must be $12.5$ microns. For thermal reasons, a margin of error (tolerance) is allowed such that the difference between the actual length $x$ and the theoretical one is at most $0.05$ microns.
a) Express this condition by means of an inequality with absolute value.
b) Determine the interval of acceptable values for the length of the track using interval notation.
c) Graphically represent this interval on the real number line.
You can do it on paper and send a photo with your answer.
Several absolute values and quotients
When there is more than one absolute value, you can't remove them all at once. You look for the critical points (where each inside expression equals $0$), divide the line into sections, and in each one remove the bars with the appropriate sign.
For a quotient with absolute value, such as $\dfrac{|2x-5|}{x+1}\le 1$, start with the domain ($x\ne-1$). Then split according to the sign of $2x-5$ (cases $x\ge\frac52$ and $x<\frac52$) and, in each case, according to the sign of $x+1$. Don't multiply by $x+1$ without knowing whether it is positive or negative. At the end, intersect each solution with the conditions of its case.
Find the set of real values satisfying the following inequality with double modulus: $$|x - 2| + |x + 3| < 7$$ Represent the solution on the number line and express it…
Find the set of real values satisfying the following inequality with double modulus:
$$|x - 2| + |x + 3| < 7$$Represent the solution on the number line and express it as a single open interval.
Determine, giving reasons, the set of values of $x \in \mathbb{R}$ satisfying the following compound inequality, expressing the final result as a union of intervals:…
Determine, giving reasons, the set of values of $x \in \mathbb{R}$ satisfying the following compound inequality, expressing the final result as a union of intervals:
$$\frac{|2x - 5|}{x + 1} \leq 1$$Take into account domain restrictions and analyse the different cases depending on the sign of the expression inside the modulus.
Neighborhoods: the lead-in to the definition of limit
Saying $\displaystyle\lim_{x\to a} f(x)=L$ means: for every $\varepsilon>0$ (how close to $L$ you want to be) there exists a $\delta>0$ (how close to $a$ you have to take $x$) such that
$$x\in E^*(a,\delta)\ \Longrightarrow\ f(x)\in E(L,\varepsilon).$$First you choose $\varepsilon$ and then you look for $\delta$, never the other way around.
Express the following neighborhoods as open intervals and represent them graphically: $a) \ E(2, 3)$ (Neighborhood with center 2 and radius 3) $b) \ E(-1; 0.5)$…
Express the following neighborhoods as open intervals and represent them graphically:
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$a) \ E(2, 3)$ (Neighborhood with center 2 and radius 3)
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$b) \ E(-1; 0.5)$
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$c) \ E^*(0, 4)$ (Deleted neighborhood with center 0 and radius 4)
In designing a high-precision part for an aerospace engine, the radius of a cylinder, denoted by $x$, must be sufficiently close to the nominal radius of $5\text{ cm}$…
In designing a high-precision part for an aerospace engine, the radius of a cylinder, denoted by $x$, must be sufficiently close to the nominal radius of $5\text{ cm}$ so that the error in its cross-sectional area, $A(x) = \pi x^2$, does not exceed $0.01\text{ cm}^2$.
Using the formal definition of a deleted neighbourhood $E^*(a, \delta)$, find the maximum value of the tolerance $\delta$ that the radius $x$ can have to ensure that the area remains within the neighbourhood $E(25\pi, 0.01)$. Express $\delta$ in terms of $\pi$ in exact form.
Prove, using exclusively the metric definition of a limit ($\varepsilon - \delta$), that: $$\lim_{x \to 3} (x^2 - 2x) = 3$$ To do this, given $\varepsilon > 0$, find an…
Prove, using exclusively the metric definition of a limit ($\varepsilon - \delta$), that:
$$\lim_{x \to 3} (x^2 - 2x) = 3$$To do this, given $\varepsilon > 0$, find an expression for $\delta$ in terms of $\varepsilon$ (you may assume an initial bound for $\delta$, for example $\delta \leq 1$).
Absolute error and relative error
A temperature sensor on a data server indicates that the CPU is at $42.6^{\circ}C$. If the actual value measured with a precision thermometer is $42.45^{\circ}C$,…
A temperature sensor on a data server indicates that the CPU is at $42.6^{\circ}C$. If the actual value measured with a precision thermometer is $42.45^{\circ}C$, calculate:
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$a)$ The absolute error of the sensor measurement.
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$b)$ The relative error made, expressed as a percentage.
In astrophysics, the distance between two celestial bodies is often measured in astronomical units (AU). Suppose two measurements of the distance to an exoplanet have…
In astrophysics, the distance between two celestial bodies is often measured in astronomical units (AU). Suppose two measurements of the distance to an exoplanet have been made: $d_1 = 4.56 \times 10^8$ km and $d_2 = 4.562 \times 10^8$ km.
a) Calculate the absolute error and the relative error made if we take the first measurement as an approximation of the second.
b) Express the result of the relative error as a percentage and comment on whether the approximation is acceptable for a scientific context.
Domains and long-term behavior
Two questions will come up again and again in Limits: where does the function exist? and what happens when the variable gets huge?
Domain
The domain is the set of $x$ for which $f(x)$ can be computed:
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Denominator: not equal to $0$.
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Even-index root: radicand $\ge 0$.
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Logarithm: argument $>0$ (strictly).
For $x^2+bx+c\ge0$ to hold for all $x$, the parabola (which opens upward) must not cross the $x$-axis: discriminant $b^2-4c\le0$.
What happens as the variable grows
If $x$ (or $n$, or $t$) gets very large, in a quotient of polynomials of the same degree the value approaches the quotient of the leading coefficients. Dividing numerator and denominator by the highest power shows this.
With a root: horizontal or oblique?
If the function has a radical, the trick is the same: factor $x$ out inside the root. But be careful with the sign: $\sqrt{x^2}=|x|$, which for $x>0$ equals $x$.
The function $f(x) = \sqrt{x^2 - kx + 9}$ is defined. Determine the set of values of the real parameter $k$ for which the domain of the function is the entire real line…
The function $f(x) = \sqrt{x^2 - kx + 9}$ is defined. Determine the set of values of the real parameter $k$ for which the domain of the function is the entire real line $\mathbb{R}$.
For the largest value in this set, determine whether there is any horizontal or oblique asymptote as $x \to +\infty$.
Given the function $f(x) = \ln(|x^2 - 4| - 5)$, determine its domain of definition in exact form. Express the result as a union of intervals, paying special attention to…
Given the function $f(x) = \ln(|x^2 - 4| - 5)$, determine its domain of definition in exact form. Express the result as a union of intervals, paying special attention to the values where the argument of the logarithm becomes zero or negative. Analyse the symmetry of this domain.
Consider the sequence defined by the general term $a_n = \frac{3n^2 - 1}{n^2 + 2n}$. a) Calculate the limit $L$ of the sequence as $n \to \infty$. b) Determine from…
Consider the sequence defined by the general term $a_n = \frac{3n^2 - 1}{n^2 + 2n}$.
- a) Calculate the limit $L$ of the sequence as $n \to \infty$.
- b) Determine from which index $n_0 \in \mathbb{N}$ all terms of the sequence are at a distance from $L$ of less than one thousandth ($\varepsilon = 10^{-3}$).
An investor analyzes the growth of a financial asset whose value in thousands of pesos is given by the function $V(t) = \frac{80t^2 + k}{t^2 + 1}$, where $t \geq 0$ is…
An investor analyzes the growth of a financial asset whose value in thousands of pesos is given by the function $V(t) = \frac{80t^2 + k}{t^2 + 1}$, where $t \geq 0$ is the time in years.
- a) Given that the initial value of the asset was $20\,000$ pesos, determine the value of the constant $k$.
- b) What will be the value of the asset in the "very long term"? Justify your answer using the concept of a limit at infinity.
- c) Will the value of the asset exceed $80\,000$ pesos at any point? Prove it analytically using an inequality.
Back to the beginning: "almost equal to $12.5$ mm, with a margin of $0.05$" is $|x-12.5|\le0.05$, that is, $x\in[12.45,\ 12.55]$. The same idea, with $\varepsilon$ in place of $0.05$, will be the heart of the notion of limit.