Definition: A function f is continuous at a number a if limx→af(x)=f(a).
Remember that limx→af(x) describes both what is
happening when x is slightly less than a and what is happening when x
is slightly greater than a. A function is continuous at a
if the lead-up to a
(that is, limx→a−f(x)), the value at a (that is,
f(a))
and the run-out from a (that is, limx→a+f(x))
all match.
If any of these quantities is different, or if any of them fails to exist,
then we say that f(x) is discontinuous at x=a, or that f(x) has
a discontinuity at x=a.
Definition: A function f is
continuous from the right at a number a if
limx→a+f(x)=f(a) and is
continuous from the left if
limx→a−f(x)=f(a). A function is
continuous on an interval I if it is continuous at each interior point
of I, is continuous from the right at the left endpoint (if I has one),
and is continuous from the left at the right endpoint (if I has one).