CONTINUITY
AND
DIFFERENTIABILITY
Continuity of function at a point:
1. Geometrically a function y = f(x) , is continuous at x = a , if the graph of the function is continuous
(without any break) at x = a.
2. A function y = f(x) is said to be continuous at a point x = a if following conditions are satisfied: :
a) f(a) exists => f(a) is finite, definite and real.
b) Left hand limit of f(x) at(x = a) = Right hand limit of f(x) at (x = a) = Value of f(x) at (x = a)
=> if at (x = a), LHL = RHL = f(a)
Note: 1. To evaluate LHL of a function f(x) at (x = a), put x = a – h and to find RHL, put x = a + h.
2. A function is discontinuous at a point a if it fails to be continuous at a.
Eg: Test the continuity of the function f(x) at the origin :
Continuous vs Discontinuous Functions
1. Graph of f(x) = x3 − 6x2 − x + 30:
Note : It is continuous.
2. Graph of
Note : It is not continuous at x=1.
3. Graph of
Note : The function is not defined for x = 0 and x = 1.
Fundamental Results:
1. A function is said to be indeterminate at any point if it shows one of the following values:
0/0, 0 × ∞, ∞/∞, ∞-∞, 00, 1∞, ∞0.
2. Infinity (∞) does not obey the laws of elementary algebra.
(i) ∞+∞=∞
(ii) ∞x∞=∞
(iii) (a/∞) = 0, if a is finite
3. If f(x) and g(x) are two functions of x ,s.t both exists then :
(v)
Standard results on Continuity:
• Continuity means the function should not have any break or sudden jump at any point in the given
domain.
• Every identity function is continuous.
• Every constant function is continuous.
• Every polynomial function is continuous.
• Every rational function is continuous in its domain.
• All trigonometric functions are continuous in their domain.
• All inverse trigonometric functions are continuous in their respective domains
• Every Modulus function is continuous .
• The exponential function ax , a > 0 is continuous.
• The logarithmic functions f(x) = log x are continuous in its given domain.
Algebra of continuous functions:
If the two real functions, say f and g, are continuous at a real number c, then
(i) f + g is continuous at x = c .
(ii) f – g is continuous at x = c .
(iii) f . g is continuous at a t x = c .
(iv) f / g is continuous at a t x = c , (provided g ( c ) ≠ 0 ) .
Types of Discontinuities:
( Or both are infinity)
Eg1: If f(x) = (x² - 4) / (x - 2).
This function is undefined at x = 2 . However, if x ≠ 2, the function can be simplified to f(x) = x + 2. The limit as x
approaches 2 is:
Thus, the limit exists, but f(2) is undefined. This is a removable discontinuity. The discontinuity can be
"removed" by defining f(2) = 4
Eg2:
Eg 3:
Eg 4: f(x) = 1/x
(Asymptote)
The limit of f(x) as x approaches to 0 does not exist because the function
diverge to both positive and negative infinity, indicating an infinite discontinuity
at x = 0.
Ex 5.1 /RSA