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Darboux Theorem

Darboux's Theorem states that if f is a differentiable function on an interval (a,b) and c and d are points in the interval with f'(c) < u < f'(d), then there exists a point x in [c,d] such that f'(x) = u. The proof defines a function g(t) = ut - f(t) and shows that g attains its supremum at some point x in [c,d], and at that point g'(x) = 0, which implies f'(x) = u.

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Aarnav Saxena
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
3K views3 pages

Darboux Theorem

Darboux's Theorem states that if f is a differentiable function on an interval (a,b) and c and d are points in the interval with f'(c) < u < f'(d), then there exists a point x in [c,d] such that f'(x) = u. The proof defines a function g(t) = ut - f(t) and shows that g attains its supremum at some point x in [c,d], and at that point g'(x) = 0, which implies f'(x) = u.

Uploaded by

Aarnav Saxena
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Darboux’s Theorem

Theorem 17: Let f : (a, b) → R be a differentiable function. If


c, d, c < d are points in (a, b), then for every u between f 0 (c) and
f 0 (d), there exists an x in [c, d] such that f 0 (x) = u.
Proof: We can assume, without loss of generality, that
f 0 (c) < u < f 0 (d), otherwise we can take x = c or x = d.
Define g (t) = ut − f (t). This is a continuous function on [c, d]
(not only on [c, d] but also on (a, b) and differentiable at all the
points in (a, b)) and hence, by Theorem 11 must attain its
supremum (also the infimum but we will consider only the
supremum).
Since g 0 (c) = u − f 0 (c) > 0 (as g is differentiable at all the points
in (a, b), it is also differentiable at c) and by the definition of the
0
derivative of a function, for  = g 2(c) > 0, ∃δ > 0 such that

g (c + h) − g (c) 0

− g (c) <
h
whenever |h| < δ.
Proof continued...
That is,
g (c + h) − g (c)
g 0 (c) −  < < g 0 (c) + 
h
whenever |h| < δ.
In particular, for 0 < h < δ such that c + h ∈ (c, d),
g 0 (c)
g (c + h) − g (c) > h(g 0 (c) − ) = h > 0,
2
that is,
g (c + h) > g (c)
and hence g (c) cannot be the supx∈[c,d] g (x).
0
Since g 0 (d) = u − f 0 (d) < 0, for  = − g 2(d) > 0, ∃δ > 0 such that

g (d + h) − g (d) 0

− g (d) <
h

whenever |h| < δ.


Proof continued...
That is,
g (d + h) − g (d)
g 0 (d) −  < < g 0 (d) + 
h
whenever |h| < δ.
In particular, for −δ < h < 0 such that d + h ∈ (c, d),

g 0 (d)
g (d + h) − g (d) > h(g 0 (d) + ) = h > 0,
2
that is,
g (d + h) > g (d)
and hence g (d) cannot be the supx∈[c,d] g (x).
Thus there exists x ∈ (c, d) where g attains its supremum, and
hence by Fermat’s Theorem g 0 (x) = 0 which yields f 0 (x) = u.

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