Characteristics that destroy differentiability

  1. Sharp Turns (right-hand limit does not equal left-hand limit)
  2. Vertical Tangents
  3. Discontinuities
Differentiability implies local linearity
 If a function is differentiable at a point, then as you zoom in on that point , eventually all you will
 see on your screen is a straight line.  This is a very close  approximation to the tangent line at that
 point.  If a function is not differentiable, this will not happen.
 

Differentiability implies continuity

Given:  f(x) is differentiable.  Therefore,

            lim   f(x) - f(c)  exists at x = c
            x®c       x - c

Prove:  f(x) is continuous. (Use the 3-step proof)

PROOF:

  i)  f(c) exists because the given limit exists and f(c) must be used to calculate the limit

 ii)  lim     [f(x) - f(c)]  =  lim    [f(x) - f(c)](x - c)
      x®c                          x®c                  x - c

                                 =  lim    [f(x) - f(c)] (x - c)
                                     x®c      x - c

                                 =  lim    f(x) - f(c)   lim (x - c)
                                     x®c     x - c

                                 =  [f ' (c)](0)

                                 =  0

         Since  lim    [f(x) - f(c)] = 0, then  lim   f(x) =  f(c) and the limit exists
                 x®c                                  x®c

iii)  lim    f(x)  =  f(c)
     x®c

Therefore, f(x) is continuous at x = c

True /False Statements:

  1. Differentiability implies continuity                     TRUE
  2. Continuity implies differentiability                     FALSE (converse statement)
    1. Consider functions whose graphs have sharp points
  3. Not continuous implies not differentiable          TRUE (contrapositive statement)
  4. Not differentiable implies not continuous          FALSE (inverse statement)
    1. Again,consider functions whose graphs have sharp points
If a statement is true, its contrapositive is always true


Problems


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