Parents: Help your child or teen

Online Volumes (Book Orders)
1,  Elements of Reason. 1996
1A. Pattern Based Reason  1995
1B. Math Curriculum Notes 1996
2. Three Skills for Algebra  1995
3.
_Why_Slopes_&_More_Math_1995

More Site Areas 
1.  Solving Linear Equations  2005
2.-Fractions-Rates-Proportns-Units-2006
3.  Algebra, Odds & Ends, HS level-2001
4.-Euclidean-Geometry/Complex No.s 
5.  Analytic Geometry/Functions 2006
6.  Number Theory. 2006-7
7.  Complex Numbers More 2001
8.  Calculus Introduction 2005
More Site Areas 
9   Real  Analysis 1995
10. Secondary IV? maths 2006-7
11. Math Education Essays  2006-7
12. LaTeX2HotEqn: 2004
13. Electric Circuits Etc  2007
14. Quebec Math Education 2004
15-Prequel-to-the-How-TOs-06-2008
How TOs/ Ref.-08- 2008
1. Arithmetic Reference
2. Algebra 
3. More Algebra 
4. Geometry  
5. More Geometry
6. Calculus
7. Logics in Maths
www.whyslopes.com
Volume 3,  Why Slopes and More Math 


Back ] Next ]


YOU are better than YOU think. Show yourself  how:

      |      
//  _   _ \\
/\             /\
  <|  (o)   (o)   |> 
 \     | |      / 

 For better work & study skills, read chapters 2  in  Three Skills for Algebra. Sooner is better. Good luck.

 -/[]\- 
||
   / \_ 
 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||


 Logic Mastery
 Amazing, Amusing, Amorous,  Delicious, Delightful, Edifying, Strengthening Elixir. 
It eases work & learning difficulties Makes the hard easier. Opens eyes. Leads to greater precision.
in reading and writing

   |      
//  _   _ \\
/\             /\
<|   (o)   (o)  |> 
     | |     |
   \             /   
\    =   /

Caution: Site advice is approximately correct, for some circumstances, not all. . That leaves room for thought and refinement..

 -/[]\- 
||
  _ / \     
 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 .


Online Volume 2, Three Skills for Algebra, Chapters 1 to 25 - skip 18., verbalizes and explains key skills and concepts, those needed in calculus, again to make the hard easier. A visual understanding of complex numbers may serve as back ground info for partial fraction decomposition.

Chapter 14
Limits, Error Control and Continuity

  • [Play Video]  4½ minutes: Algebraic View of Limits. Example involving sums and quotients.
  • [Play Video]  2½   minutes: Algebraic Properties of Limits I.
  • [Play Video] 2¼ minutes: Algebraic Properties of Limits II.
  • [Play Video]  5½ minutes: Limits and Error Control for Linear Expressions
  • [Play Video]  2¾ minutes: Error Control to N decimal Places, say 5 or 10. 
  • [Play Video]  3¼ minutes:  Limits as Error Control for an unlimited number of decimal places. 

Error control for the evaluation of functions y = f(x) provides a simple context and motivation for continuity and convergence.

Continuity at Point

To explain the idea of continuity of a function y = f(x) at a point x = a, we ask the following error-control question with b = f(a): to what number m of places should the decimal expansions of x and a agree, for the decimal expansion of the number f(x) to agree with that of b = f(a) to n-decimal places? That is, given a whole number n, is there an m such that
|x-a| < d = 1
2
· 1
10m
    implies    |f(x)-f(a)| < e = 1
2
· 1
10n
    (?)
An affirmative answer requires that agreement of x with a to m decimal places implies the agreement of f(x) with f(a) to n decimal places. An affirmative answer says unlimited accuracy and error control is possible at x = a.

The Greek letters d (delta) and e (epsilon) above are employed here in accordance with tradition of some (not all) calculus texts. For simplicity, the error control tolerances e and d in the first instance here and below, may be restricted to be numbers of the form [1/2] ·10-k = [1/2] [1/(10k)]. The decimal free discussion of error control and continuity dispenses with this requirement.

We say a function f(x) is continuous at a point x = a if and only if unlimited error control is possible there. More formally, we state the following definition.

Theorem 14.1 [Continuity at a Point] If f(x) is a real-valued function of a real number x in an interval [c,d], and a is a number in the interval [c,d] then the function f is said to be continuous at the number x = a if and only if the following holds. If for every n, there exist an m such that
|x-a| < d = 1
2
· 1
10m
    implies    |f(x)-f(a)| < e = 1
2
· 1
10n
·

Decimal-Free Form

The decimal-free description or definition of continuity at a point x = a is as follows.

[Continuity at Point] If f(x) is a real-valued function of a real number x in an interval [c,d], and a is a point in the interval [c,d] then the function f is said to be continuous at x = a if and only if the following holds: For every e1 > 0, there exist a d1 > 0 such that
|x-a| < d1     implies    |f(x)-f(a)| < e1
It is easily shown that the decimal-free and decimal-based definitions are equivalent. The proof of equivalence, better left to a second reading of this work, follows.

Proof of Equivalence.

To show the decimal-based description implies the decimal-free description of continuity, observe the following. First given e1 > 0, there is an n > 0 such that e1 > [1/2]·[1/(10n)] = e. The decimal-based requirement for continuity now is satisfied for some d = [1/2] ·[1/(10m)]. So the decimal-free version holds with d1 = d = [1/2]·[1/(10m)].

Conversely, the other way that is, to show the latter decimal-free form implies the decimal-based description of continuity, observe the following. Given m > 0, let e1 = e = [1/2] ·[1/(10m)]. Then choose d1 > 0 so that the decimal-free requirement is satisfied. The decimal-based version is then satisfied if m > 0 is selected so that d1 ³ d = [1/2] ·[1/(10m)].

 
www.whyslopes.com
Volume 3,  Why Slopes and More Math 


Back ] Next ]

For  help in calculus, explore
Volumes
2. Three Skills for Algebra and 3. Why Slopes & More Math, and  Calculus Introduction site area. See how to learn or teach key skills and concepts, some not all.

Foreword, One Calculus  preview and Online Chapters: (V) signals video (RealPlayer Format)  to watch 

Area Intro
Foreword
Chapter Descriptions
1. Introduction
Cal. Preview (1983  lesson why slopes)
2. Second Preview Begins
2 Skier in Motion (V)
2 The Skier (V)
2. Position Dependent (V)
3 Slope & Extrema (V)
4 Single Factor Analysis (V)
4 Two Factor (V)
4 More Factors (V)
4 With Divisors (V)
5 Maxima & Minima Tests
6 Jumps & Discontinuities
8 Review  (optional)
9 On Calculus Studies
11 Slope of Slope
13  Acceleration
14 Limits & Error Control (V)
14 Limit of a Fn.
14. Limited Error Control
14 Signif. Digits
14 Cauchy Limits
14 Sequence Limits
14 Decimal Arith.
15 What is Slope (V)
15 Slope Calculation (V)
15 Slope, a Limit
15 Tangent Lines
15 Linear Approx.,
15 Limits via Algebra (V)
15 Recap.
PS.Chain Rule for Polys
PS Chain Rule- General  (V) -
PS More Chain Rule (V)
PS - Sign Analysis (V)
16 What is Velocity
17  What is Area
18 Integration
18 Area Calculation
18  Fn DefN, 6 Ways
19 Logs & Powers
19 Natural Log.
19 Exponential Fn.
20 What's Next
21 Add Vectors
22 Complex #'s
23 Complex #'s
23 Trig Identity
23 Proofs of.
24 Complex Logs etc

Units in Calculations:
7 Velocity
7 Varying Velocity Example
7. Velocity Calculation
7 Changing Units
7 Same Velocity  Motions
10 Slopes without Units.
10 Units & Slopes
10  Units in Cost vs. Quantity
10  How Units  Appear
10 Unit  Elimination
10 Partial Elimination
10 Interest & Units
12 More on Units
Content Guide

Enriched material: The Appendices of Volume 3 are located in the Real  Analysis  Area.

Pigeon Hole Principle
Constant Difference Thm
Continuous Functions
Rational Functions
Mean Value Theorem
One Side Range Theorem
Range On One Side Theorem
Integration & Lipschitz
 Continuity


These appendices continue the
decimal viewpoint of limits, error
control and continuity begun
in Chapter 14. The One Sided
 Range Theorem
is a postscript,
not in printed version.



 

 


Site Tour:  Click here,  here,  here,  
here
,   hereherehere and here.

   Search this Site  

Back ] Area Intro ] Next ] [Top of this Page]  
Road Safety Message  Do not walk on a road with your back to the traffic. 
  Favourite SitesBBC News  and mathematics portion of  English National Curriculum  
[Site Author Contact Form]  If you find an error, please cut and paste its 
web page location (URL) into its report.

All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners.
Copyright to comments & contributions are owned by the Poster. 
The Rest © 1995 onward by site author,   Alan Selby (
email) All Rights Reserved. 

www.whyslopes.com