LESSON PLAN FOR INTRO TO CALCULUS

Topic: Finding the limit of a function from a graph

Grade Level: 11th to 13th
Date: 3/8/17

Common Core Standards Addressed:

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of
others.
CCSS.Math.Practice.MP5 Use appropriate tools strategically.
CCSS.Math.Practice.MP6 Attend to precision.
CCSS.Math.Content.HSF.IF.A.1
CCSS.Math.Content.HSF.IF.A.2
CCSS.Math.Content.HSF.IF.B.4
CCSS.Math.Content.HSF.IF.C.7

Aim: How do we find the limit of a function from its graph? (Day 2)

Objectives: By the end of the lesson, the students should be able to

1. explain what a limit is, as well as the difference between a one-sided and two-sided
limit. (conceptual)
2. determine the limit of a function as x approaches infinity/ negative infinity by looking
at its graph. (procedural/conceptual)
3. determine the limit/ one-sided limit when it evaluates to infinity or negative infinity
from looking at its graph. (procedural/conceptual)

Prior Knowledge:
Students should know how to analyze graphs of functions and understand what open and
closed circles mean when present in the graph of a function.
They should know how to determine the limit or one-sided limit of a function by looking
at its graph. They however havent dealt with examples that involve x approaching
infinity or negative infinity and graphs where the limit or one-sided limit evaluates to
infinity or negative infinity.

Possible student misconceptions about the content of the lesson:

Students may think that the limit or one-sided limit does not exist when it is approaching
infinity or negative infinity.
Students may think that we cant take the limit of a function as x approaches infinity or
negative infinity because we arent looking at the y value its approaching from both
sides.

Material/Equipment:
SMARTBoard
Chalk board
handouts

Vocabulary:
Limit If the values of f(x) can be made as close as we like to L by making x sufficiently
close to a (but not equal to a), then we write
( )
Which is read the limit of f(x) as x approaches a is L.

One-sided limit- If the values of f(x) can be made as close as we like to L by making x
sufficiently close to a but greater than a, then we write
( )
which is read the limit of f(x) as x approaches a from the right is L. Similarly, if the
values of f(x) can be made as close as we like to L by making x sufficiently close to a but
less than a, then we write
( )
which is read the limit of f(x) as x approaches a from the left is L.

Source: Calculus A New Horizon by Howard Anton

Do Now/Start-up Task:
Determine the following using the graph:

a) ( )
b) ( )
c) ( )

Motivation:

Present the slide with the following graph and ask a student to read letter a to see how
they read the notation. Then ask students What would the limit would be as x
approaches 1 from the right side? Does the limit exist?.

Development and Instructional Activities:

Greet students, have slide with do now, homework, and aim up, and then have
them start the do now. While they are working on the do now, have 5 students put
their answers up to last nights homework. Due to time, ask students if there are
any answers they may disagree with or if they have any questions for any of the
students who put up the answers.
Go over do now as a class
How do we read the notation for letter a?
What is a one sided limit?
Have a student explain and give their answer for letter a.
Have a student read letter b and explain and give their answer.
What is a limit?
What is the relationship between one-sided limits and a limit?
Have a student read letter c and explain and give their answer.
Put the definition of a limit up again for students who may have been absent on
the days prior lesson. Also present the definition of a one-sided limit as well as
the relationship between a one-sided limit and limit. Have a student summarize
each slide in their own words while students who were absent copy it into their
notes.
Go to the next slide that has the graph that has a limit of negative infinity when x
approaches 1. Have a student read whats on the slide.
What would the limit would be as x approaches 1 from the right side?
Does a limit even exist?
Follow up questions if they arent sure Are we approaching something?
What are we approaching?
Go to part b and ask students What would the limit be as x approaches 1
from the left side? Explain.
Go to part c, Does a limit exist as x approaches 1? How do you know?
What is the limit?
Go to the next slide which is number 7 in students packets. Have them try this
one on their own. Walk around and see how students are doing on the last
problem. Ask them what they think the limit would be. After a few minutes,
 randomly select students to give an answer going in order from a to h. Some
questions to ask before we get to h:
What does f(0) mean? What do we do to get the answer? How is it
different from a limit?
How did you get the limit for letter d? letter e?
A point exists at x=3 so shouldnt the limit be 3 for letter g?
Once we get to letter h ask the following:
How do we read letter h?
What is different about this limit?
Does a limit exist?
Can we take the left and right limits of negative infinity? Why not?
Follow up questions- Is negative infinity a number?
What are we approaching as x approaches negative infinity?
After we go over h, put students into groups of 4 based on where they are seated.
Have them work on questions 9 through 15 odd in their packets. Tell students to
ask each other questions if they are stuck. Tell them that they should agree on all
the answers to the problem before moving on to the next problem. I will go
around and ask them questions on how they got their answer to any particular
problem to assess their understanding.
After the groups are finished or if time is running out, call on students who
havent participated or spoken in class to give the limit to a letter. There are 20
problems, so all students should have spoken by the end of the class. After all 5
letters in a problem are answered, ask if students agree or disagree.
Distribute the homework handout and if time permits, ask the following:
Can we ever get a limit of infinity? Draw an example on the board where the
limit evaluates to infinity.

Assessment:
I will be asking students questions to assess their understanding as well as walk around as
they are doing the problems. The summary at the end is also a good assessment.

Summary:
1. What is a limit? What is the difference between a one-sided and two-sided limit?
2. In the following graph what would the limit be as x approaches infinity?
3. Can we ever get a limit of infinity? Draw an example on the board where the limit
evaluates to infinity.

Homework:
Handout