CHAPTER 5 – CONTINUITY AND DIFFERENTIABILITY

CONTINUITY

Suppose f is a real function on a subset of the real numbers and let c be a point in the domain of

f. Then f is continuous at c if

lim f x f
x c

A function is continuous at x = c if the function is defined at x = c and if the value of the

function at x = c equals the limit of the function at x = c. If f is not continuous at c, we say f is

discontinuous at c and c is called a point of discontinuity of f.

CONTINUOUS FUNCTION

A real function f is said to be continuous if it is continuous at every point in the domain of f.

Suppose f is a function defined on a closed interval [a, b], then for f to be continuous, it needs to

be continuous at every point in [a, b] including the end points a and b. Continuity of f at a means

lim+ f x f
x

and continuity of f at b means

lim− f x f
x

A function f(x) is continuous at a point x = m if

lim− f x lim+ f x f m
x x

where limf x is Left Hand Limit of f(x) at x = m and lim+ f x is Right Hand Limit of f(x) at x
x

= m. Also f(m) is the value of function f(x) at x = m.

REMARKS

o odulus functions is Continuous on R.

o Trigonometric functions are continuous in their respective domains.

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 o Exponential function is continuous on R.

o Every identity function is continuous.

o Every constant function is continuous.

o Every polynomial function is continuous on R.

o Every rational function is continuous.

o Greatest integer function is continuous on all non-integral real numbers.

ALGEBRA OF CONTINUOUS FUNCTIONS

uppose f and g are two real functions, continuous at real number . Then,

(1) f + g is continuous at x = c.

(2) f – g is continuous at x = c.

(3) f . g is continuous at x = c.

(4) ( ) is continuous at x (provided g ≠0 .

x − −1
(i) lim n
x x−

s x
(ii) lim 1
x x

t x
(iii) lim 1
x x

−1
(iv) lim 1
x x

1
(v) lim 0 p∈ 0
x x

1 x
(vi) lim 1
x x

−1
(vii) lim log
x x

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 s −1 x
(viii) lim 1
x x

1 x
(x) lim 1 x
x

s x
(xi) lim 0
x x

1 x
(xii) lim (1 )
x x

(xiii) lim sin x lim os x lies between 1 to 1

x x

DIFFERENTIABILITY OF A FUNCTION AT A POINT

Let f be a real function and a be a real number. We say that f is differentiable or derivable at a if

x −
lim exists and is finite.
x x−

We denote this limit by f called the derivative or differential coefficient of f at a.

x −
Symbolically, we may write it as f lim x≠ .
x x−

RIGHT-HAND DERIVATIVE

x −
lim , if it exists finitely is called the right-hand derivative of f(x) at x = a and is
x x−

denoted by Rf or f 0 . Symbolically,

f x f
f 0 lim x ≠ , if it exists finitely.
x x

LEFT-HAND DERIVATIVE

x −
lim , if it exists finitely is called the left-hand derivative of f(x) at x = a and is denoted
x x−

by Rf or f 0 . Symbolically,

x −
f 0 lim x ≠ , if it exists finitely.
x x−

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NOTE: A function is derivable at x =a if the right-hand derivative and left-hand derivative at

the point x = a exist and are equal and it is denoted by f

RELATION BETWEEN CONTINUITY AND DIFFERENTIABILITY

Every differentiable function is continuous. But every continuous function need not be

differentiable.

STANDARD DERIVATIVES

Function Derivative

f(x) or y f|(x) or

u±v u v
u| ± v| (or) +
x x

Product Rule: u.v v u

u. v| + v. u| (or) u +v
x x

u
Quotient Rule: vu −uv v −u
v (or)
v2 v2

k(constant) 0

xn nxn-1

x 1

√x 1
2 √x

sinx cosx

cosx -sinx

tanx sec2x

secx secx.tanx

cosecx - cosecx.cotx

cotx -cosec2x

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 logx 1
x

ex ex

sin-1x 1
√1 x

cos-1x 1
√1 x

tan-1x 1
1 x

cosec-1x 1
x√ x 1

sec-1x 1
x√ x 1

cot-1x 1
1 x

CHAIN RULE

Let f be a real valued function which is a composite of two function u and v; i.e., f = v o u.
t v
Suppose that t = u(x) and if both and exist, we have
x t
v t
= .
x t x

Suppose f is a real valued function which is a composite of three functions u, v and w;

i.e., f = (w o u) o v. if t = v(x) and s = u(t), then

w s t
= . .
x s t x

DERIVATIVES OF IMPLICIT FUNCTION

Explicit Function

An explicit function is one which is given in terms of the independent variable.

Example: y = x2 + 3x – 8
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Implicit Function

Implicit functions, on the other hand, are usually given in terms of both dependent and

independent variables.

Example: y + x2 - 3x + 8 = 0

DERIVATIVES OF INVERSE TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

f(x) sin-1x cos-1x tan-1x cosec-1x sec-1x cot-1x

1 1 1 1 1 1
f|(x)
√1 x √1 x 1 x x√x 1 x√x 1 1 x

EXPONENTIAL AND LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS

f(x) ex logx
1
f|(x) ex
x

LOGARITHMIC DIFFERENTIATION
Some Basic Logarithmic Rules

a. log ab = log a + log b

b. log ( ) = log a – log b

c. log an = n.log a

DERIVATIVES OF FUNCTIONS IN PARAMETRIC FORMS

A parametric equation defines a group of quantities as functions of one or more

independent variables called parameters. Parametric equations are commonly used to express

the coordinates of the points that make up a geometric object such as a curve or surface, in

which case the equations are collectively called a parametric representation or parameterization.

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A relation expressed between two variables x and y in the form x = f(t), y = g(t) is said to be

parametric form with ‘t’ as a parameter.

y⁄
y t
In order to find derivative of function in such form, = x⁄
x t

SECOND ORDER DERIVATIVES

Let y = f(x), then

y
= f|(x)
x

If f|(x) is differentiable, we may differentiate the above equation again w.r.to x. Then, the left-

y
hand side becomes ) which is called the second order derivative of y w.r.to x and it is
x x

2y
denoted by . The second order derivative of f(x) is denoted by f||(x). It is also denoted by D2y
x2

or y|| or y2.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1
1. The number of points at which the function f x is not continuous is
x− x

(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) None of these

s x
os x if x ≠ 0
2. The function f x 2 x is continuous at x 0, then the value of k is
k if x 0
(a) 3 (b) 2 (c) 1 (d) 1.5
x−1
3. The function f x is discontinuous at
x x2 −1

(a) Exactly one point (b) Exactly two points

(c) Exactly three points (d) No point

y
4. If y log √t n x, then the value of at x is
x
1
(a) 0 (b) 1 (c) (d) Not defined

y
5. If y √sin x y, then is equal to
x
c sx c sx s x s x
(a) (b) (c) (d)
y−1 1− y 1− y y−1
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