What are the removable and non-removable discontinuities, if any, of f(x)=(x+3)/((x-4)(x+3))?

1 Answer
Aug 2, 2017

The discontinuities of this function are at x=4 and x=-3. The one at x=-3 is removable.

Explanation:

The function f(x)=(x+3)/((x-4)(x+3)) is undefined at x=4 and x=-3, so it has discontinuities at those two values of x.

The one at x=-3, however, is "removable", because, after cancellation, f(x)=1/(x-4) whenever x is not equal to -3. The expression 1/(x-4) is defined at x=-3 and has a value of 1/(-3-4)=-1/7 there.

Because of this, lim_{x->-3}f(x)=-1/7 and the graph of f(x)=(x+3)/((x-4)(x+3)) only has a "hole" at x=-3 (no vertical asymptote). This hole can be "filled in" by defining f(-3)=-1/7 (in other words, make f a piecewise-defined function).

By filling in this hole in the graph of f, we have "removed" the original discontinuity there. That's why it's called a removable discontinuity.

The discontinuity at x=4 is not removable. The graph of f has a vertical asymptote there. In fact, lim_{x->4+}f(x)=+infty (x approaches 4 from the right) and lim_{x->4-}f(x)=-infty (x approaches 4 from the left).

The graph of f is shown below. The hole is not seen because the computer is just connecting the dots. The vertical asymptote can be seen, however.

graph{(x+3)/((x-4)(x+3)) [-10.13, 10.145, -5.07, 5.065]}