Seventy students responded (each with an ‘A’ or ‘B’ grade in A-level
mathematics). Those responding to the second question, the concept definition
for “ lim
x®a
f (x) = c” could be classified as follows:
correct incorrect
formal 4 14
dynamic 27 4
Only four gave a correct formal definition, of which one was topological and
three were of the form given above.
The fourteen incorrect attempts at a formal definition included seven that
were mixed up with other limit notions such as:
As x®a, c - e £ f (x) £ c + e for all n > n0
or
f (n) - f (n +1) < e for all n > given N0
and seven were incomplete or inaccurate, such as
|f(x)–c| < e for all positive values of e with x sufficiently close to a.
Of the incomplete ones, two omitted the condition x ¹ a.
The dynamic responses included typical replies such as
the value that f(x) approaches as values of x are taken closer to a is c.
or
as x tends towards a, the value of f(x) tends towards c.
Incorrect dynamic responses included
as x gets nearer and nearer to a, the value of the function = c,
or versions mixed with other limit processes:
lim
x®a
f (x) = f (x) - f (a)
x - a
= c.
The earlier question requiring explanation of
lim
x®1
x3 -1
x -1
æ
è ç
ö
ø ÷
= 3
revealed that most of the students could make an attempt at an example even
though they could not give a concept definition. Those not giving a concept
definition responded to this example as follows: