Grade 12

Chapter 5
Continuity and differentiability

 Suppose f is a real function on a subset of the real numbers and c be a point in the
domain of f. Then, f is continuous at c, if lim f x f c
x c
More elaborately, we can say that f is continuous at c, if
lim f x lim f x f c
x c x c

 If f is not continuous at c, then we say that f is discontinuous at c and c is called

the point of discontinuity.

 A real function f is said to be continuous, if it is continuous at every point in the

domain of f.

 If f and g are two continuous real functions, then

(f + g) (x), (f – g) (x), f(x).g(x) are continuous
f x
is continuous, if g(x) 0
g x

 If f and g are two continuous functions, then fog is also continuous.

 Suppose f is a real function and c is a point in its domain. Then, the derivative of
f at c is defined by,
f c h f c
f c lim
h 0 h

d
 Derivative of a function f (x), denoted by ( f ( x)) or f ( x) , is defined
dx
f x h f x
by f x lim
h 0 h

Example:
Find derivative of sin 2x.

Solution:
Let f (x) = sin 2x
 sin 2 x h sin 2 x
f x lim
h 0 h
2 cos 2 x h sin h
lim
h 0 h
sin h
2 lim cos 2 x h lim
h 0 h 0 h
2 cos 2 x 1
2 cos 2 x

 For two functions f and g, the rules of algebra of derivatives are as follows:
f g f g

f g f g

fg f g

f f g fg
, where g 0
g g2

 Every differentiable function is continuous, but the converse is not true.

Example:
f x x is continuous at all points on real line, but it is not differentiable at
x=0
f 0 h f 0 h
Since L.H.S = lim 1
h 0 h h
f 0 h f 0 h
R.H.S = lim 1
h 0 h h
Clearly, L.H.S R.H.S
Therefore, f x does not exist at x = 0

 Chain rule: This rule is used to find the derivative of a composite function. If f
dt dv df dv dt
= v o u, then t = u (x); and if both and exist, then
dx dt dx dt dx
Similarly, if f = (w o u) o v, and if t = v (x), s = u (t), then
df d ( wou ) dt dw ds dt
dx dt dx ds dt dx

Example: Find derivative of sin 2 log x cos 2 x .

Solution:
 d d
sin 2 log x cos 2 x 2sin log x cos 2 x sin log x cos 2 x
dx dx
d
2sin log x cos 2 x cos(log x cos 2 x) log x cos 2 x
dx
1 d
sin 2 log x cos 2 x 2 cos x cos x
x dx
1
sin log x 2 2 cos 2 x 2sin x cos x
x
1
sin 2 x log x 2 2 cos 2 x
x

 The derivatives of some useful functions are as follows:

d 1
sin 1 x
dx 1 x2
d 1
cos 1 x
dx 1 x2
d 1
tan 1 x
dx 1 x2
d 1
cot 1 x
dx 1 x2
d 1
sec 1 x
dx x x2 1
d 1
cosec 1 x
dx x x2 1
d 1
log x
dx x
d x
e ex
dx
d ax
e aeax
dx

 Some properties of logarithmic functions are as follows:

log a xy loga x log a y
x
log a log a x log a y
y
log a x n n log a x

v x
 Derivative of a function f x ux can be calculated by taking logarithm on
both sides, i.e. log f x v x log u x , and then differentiating both sides
with respect to x.
 Example:

Solution:

Let
log y y log x
d d
log y y log x
dx dx
1 dy dy y
log x
y dx dx x
dy y
log x
dx y x
y
dy x y2
dx 1 log x x xy log x
y

 If the variables x and y are expressed in form of x = f (t) and y = g (t), then they
dy dy dt g t
are said to be in parametric form. In this case, ,
dx dt dx f t
provided f t 0

dy d2y d dy
 If y = f (x), then f x and or f x
dx dx 2 dx dx
d2y
Here, f x or is called the second order derivative of y with respect to x.
dx 2

 Rolle’s theorem:
If f: [a, b] R is continuous on [a, b] and differentiable on (a, b) such that f (a)
= f (b), where a and b are some real numbers, then there exists some c (a, b)
such that f c 0

 Mean value theorem:

If f: [a, b] R is continuous on [a, b] and differentiable on (a, b), then there
f b f a
exists some c (a, b) such that f c
b a

Example: Verify Rolle’s Theorem and Mean Value Theorem for the function:
 5
f (x) = 2x2 – 17x + 30 in the interval ,6
2

Solution:
f (x) = 2x2 –17x + 30
f x 4 x 17
5 5
The function f(x) is continuous on , 6 and differentiable on , 6 .
2 2
2
5 5 5
Also, f 2 17 30 0
2 2 2
2
And, f 6 2 6 17 6 30 0
5
f f 6
2
Therefore, we can apply Rolle’s Theorem for f (x).
5
According to this theorem, there exists c , 6 such that f c 0
2
We have f x 4 x 17
4c 17 0
17 5
c ,6
4 2
Therefore, Rolle’s Theorem is verified.

5
f 6 f
2
Now, 0
5
6
2
5
According to Mean Value Theorem (MVT), there exists c , 6 such that
2
f c 0
4c 17 0
17 5
c ,6
4 2
Therefore, M.V.T is verified.

Contribute to this Revision Note:

If you find anything of importance missing from this note, email it to us at revision-notes@meritnation.com, and
we’ll add it to this note under your name!