⚠️ DRAFT HANDOUT - NOT FINALIZED BY INSTRUCTOR - DO NOT PRINT YET

MATH-181 (Calculus I) Curriculum

Session 02 - Introduction to Limits

Handout Worksheet
Fall Semester 2026
Session Objectives & Overview

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

  • Disentangling Limit Behavior from Function Values (The Concept of Approaching)
  • Diagnosing and Classifying Why a Limit Fails to Exist (DNE)
  • Executing the Limiting Process to Turn Average Rates into Instantaneous Rates

Micro-Lecture

Engineering Context: Behavior at the Edge

The study of limits bridges algebra and calculus by shifting focus from exact coordinates to infinitesimally close behavioral trends, developing three core skills: separating a function’s approached path from its actual destination, classifying structural failures when a limit does not exist (via jumps, asymptotes, or wild oscillations), and transforming static average rates into dynamic instantaneous rates. In real-world engineering, these competencies provide the critical mathematical machinery needed to safely model fluid dynamics and particle physics near data-crashing singularities, analyze violent system discontinuities like supersonic shockwaves or digital circuit signal instability, and drive the real-time automated telemetry powering autonomous vehicles, automated chemical reactors, and high-frequency financial algorithms.

Skill Block 1

Regroup 1

  • Review common misconceptions and clarify key notations.

Skill Block 2

Regroup 2

  • Reflect on the physical modeling applications and mathematical setups.

Skill Block 3

Regroup 3

  • Verify calculations and mathematical reasoning.

Synthesis Wrap-up

  • Core takeaways from Session 02 and overview of homework Knewton: Introduction to Limits.