SAMPLE FINAL SOLUTIONS

21A

Problem 1. Compute lim (3x − 2) using the precise definition of limit.

x→1

Solution. We claim that limx→1 (3x − 2) = 1. Let ε > 0.

 
(3x − 2) − 1 < ε

|3x − 3| < ε
3|x − 1| < ε
ε
|x − 1| <
3
ε
So δ = 3 works. 

Problem 2. Which of the following functions are continuous at 0?

(a) f (x) = x3 + x2 − 3x + 1
1
(b) f (x) = x
(c) ln(ln(x + 1))
|x|
(d) f (x) = 2
x −1
(e) f (x) = sin(x)|x|

Problem 3. Find the following derivatives:

d 2
(a) dx (x + 3x − 1)
d x 1
(b) dx e
3
d x −1
(c) dx 2x + 1
√
d x
(d) dx x
d
(e) dx sin(cos(x))

Date: 5 December 2017.

1
2 21A

Problem 4. Find the derivative of f (x) = x2 + 2 using only the precise definition of the derivative.

Solution.
f (x) − f (a)
f 0 (a) = lim
x→a x−a


x + 2 − a2 + 2
2
= lim
x→a x−a
x − a2
2
= lim
x→a x − a

(x + a)(x − a))
= lim
x→a x−a
= lim (x + a)
x→a

= 2a

So f 0 (x) = 2x. 

Problem 5. Show that the equation f (x) = x3 + x + 1 = 0 has exactly one solution.

Solution. We see f (−1) = −1 and f (0) = 1, so by the intermediate value theorem we know there is a value
c ∈ [−1, 0] with f (c) = 0.
We claim there are no other solutions. Pretend that there was another solution d, i.e. f (d) = 0 and d 6= c. By
the mean value theorem, there would be a point a between c and d with f 0 (a) = 0. Because f 0 (x) = 3x2 + 1,
f 0 (x) > 1 everywhere so there can be no such a, so there cannot be another solution to f (x) = 0. 
 SAMPLE
Problem 6. Graph the function f (x) = x3 − x.

Solution. Due to the nature of the problem, we present a hand-written solution.

Problem 7. Find the following limits:

2x − 7
(a) lim 2
x→0 3x − 5
 
1
(b) lim x sin
x→∞ x
1 − cos x1
(c) lim
x→∞ sin x1
2x − 3x
(d) lim
x→∞ 3x
 x
1
(e) lim 1 +
x→∞ x

Problem 8. What is the largest area Farmer Fred can enclose with 1000 ft of fencing in a rectangular pen if
one side is a river (no fencing needed)?