Q.Every continuous function is differentiable. Examine whether this statement is true.
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🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Continuity Differentiability Relationship
How Continuity and Differentiability Are Related
Two properties describe how "well-behaved" a function is at a point. Continuity means the graph has no break there — you can draw through the point without lifting your pen. Differentiability means the graph is smooth there — it has one definite tangent line, so a well-defined slope f′(a). This concept is about the exact link between the two.
The theorem: If f is differentiable at x=a, then f is continuous at x=a.
Why differentiability forces continuity
If f′(a) exists, then
limx→a(f(x)−f(a))=limx→ax−af(x)−f(a)⋅(x−a)=f′(a)⋅0=0.
So limx→af(x)=f(a), which is exactly continuity at a. A curve that has a tangent cannot also have a jump — a break would send the difference quotient to infinity and the derivative would not exist.
The converse is FALSE
Continuity does not guarantee differentiability. A graph can be unbroken yet still have a sharp corner, and a corner has no single tangent.
The classic counterexample is f(x)=∣x∣ at x=0. It is continuous there (limx→0∣x∣=0=f(0)), but the slope from the left is −1 and from the right is +1. Since these disagree, f′(0) does not exist.
Putting it together
- Differentiable at a ⇒ continuous at a.
- Continuous at a ⇒ differentiable at a.
- Not continuous at a ⇒ not differentiable at a (the contrapositive of the theorem). …
False; ϕ(x)=∣x∣ is a continuous but non-differentiable counterexample.
The modulus function ϕ(x)=∣x∣ is continuous everywhere, including at x=0. But at x=0 the one-sided difference quotients differ:
limh→0+h∣h∣=1,limh→0−h∣h∣=−1, …
The statement is false; the continuous function ϕ(x)=∣x∣ is a counterexample — it is continuous everywhere but not differentiable at x=0.
Step 1 — Note why the claim is tempting.
Many familiar continuous functions are also differentiable everywhere, for example
f(x)=x2,g(x)=ex,h(x)=sinx.
Each is continuous for all x and differentiable for all x, which might suggest that continuity always forces differentiability.
Step 2 — Choose a candidate counterexample.
Consider the modulus function
ϕ(x)=∣x∣={x,−x,x≥0x<0.
It is continuous everywhere, including at x=0, since x→0lim∣x∣=0=ϕ(0).
Step 3 — Test differentiability at x=0.
Examine the difference quotient from each side:
Right derivative: limh→0+h∣0+h∣−∣0∣=limh→0+hh=1,
Left derivative: limh→0−h∣0+h∣−∣0∣=limh→0−h−h=−1. …
Method: Testing a "Does Property A Imply Property B" Claim with a Known Counterexample
Use this whenever asked to examine whether one property (continuity, etc.) forces a stronger related property (differentiability, etc.). The general technique: know the true implication, know why the converse can fail, and keep a standard counterexample ready.
Steps
Step 1: Identify which direction of implication is actually a theorem
For continuity and differentiability, the proven direction is: differentiable at a point ⇒ continuous at that point (provable directly from the definition of the derivative as a limit). Know this direction is solid before questioning the reverse.
Step 2: Recognise the claim under examination is the (unproven) converse
"Every continuous function is differentiable" reverses the arrow of the real theorem. A converse of a true implication is not automatically true — it must be checked independently, usually by trying to find where it fails.
Step 3: Recall or construct a function that is continuous but has a "corner" …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Confusing the claim with the (true) reverse implication
Reasoning "differentiable functions are continuous, so the statement is true" conflates "every continuous function is differentiable" with the actual theorem "every differentiable function is continuous." Why it's wrong: these are different statements; only the second is a proven theorem, and confusing them leads to affirming a false converse. Correct approach: always identify precisely which direction of implication is being asked about before deciding whether it's provably true or needs a counterexample.
Mistake 2: Sign errors in the one-sided derivative limits …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-19-AN1 markMCQQ.If f(x)=⎩⎨⎧xαsin(x1),0,x=0x=0; Which of the following is true? (A) f(x) is continuous and differentiable if 0≤α<1 (B) f(x) is discontinuous and not differentiable if 0≤α<1 (C) [AMBIGUOUS] (D) f(x) is discontinuous and differentiable for α>1
›Reveal solutionSolution
This tests continuity/differentiability of xαsin(1/x) at x=0 as α varies; the correct classification is continuous-but-not-differentiable for 0<α≤1, and both continuous and differentiable only for α>1.
Concept and Intuition
The oscillating factor sin(1/x) is always bounded between −1 and 1, so whether xαsin(1/x)→0 (continuity) or whether the difference quotient xα−1sin(1/x) converges (differentiability) depends entirely on the power of x multiplying the bounded oscillation — a higher power tames the oscillation faster.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Continuity at 0: ∣f(x)−f(0)∣=∣xαsin(1/x)∣≤∣x∣α. This →0 as x→0 whenever α>0. So f is continuous at 0 for every α>0 — this already contradicts option (A) (which wrongly restricts continuity+differentiability to 0≤α<1, an interval where differentiability actually fails) and option (B) (which wrongly claims discontinuity throughout 0≤α<1, whereas f is continuous there for α>0).
- Differentiability at 0: f′(0)=limx→0xxαsin(1/x)−0=limx→0xα−1sin(1/x).
- If α>1: exponent α−1>0, so xα−1→0 and the bounded oscillation is killed — limit is 0, so f′(0) exists: continuous AND differentiable.
- If 0<α≤1: exponent α−1≤0, so xα−1 does not decay (it's bounded-below-1 or blows up) while sin(1/x) keeps oscillating — the limit does not exist: continuous but NOT differentiable. …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-19-AN1 markMCQQ.Let f(x)=min{x,x2} for every real number of x, then (A) f(x) is continuous for all x (B) f(x) is differentiable for all x (C) f′(x)=2 for all x>1 (D) f(x) is not differentiable at three values of x
›Reveal solutionSolution
Piecing together min{x,x2} shows it is continuous everywhere but fails to be differentiable at exactly two points (x=0,1), and its slope for x>1 is 1, not 2 — so the only correct statement is that it's continuous everywhere.
Concept and Intuition
min{x,x2} switches which of the two "candidate" functions is smaller depending on the sign of x(x−1)=x2−x. Since both candidate functions are individually continuous (and even differentiable) polynomials, the only way the minimum can fail to be smooth is exactly at the points where the two candidates cross over — i.e. where x=x2.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Compare x and x2: x2−x=x(x−1), which is ≥0 outside [0,1] and ≤0 inside [0,1].
- For x≤0 or x≥1: x2≥x, so min=x.
- For 0≤x≤1: x2≤x, so min=x2.
- So f(x)=⎩⎨⎧x,x2,x,x≤00≤x≤1x≥1.
- Continuity: at x=0, both pieces give 0; at x=1, both give 1. Each piece is a polynomial (continuous on its own), so f is continuous everywhere — option (A) is true.
- Differentiability at x=0: left derivative (of x) is 1; right derivative (of x2, i.e. 2x) at 0 is 0. These differ, so f is not differentiable at x=0. …
- Compare x and x2: x2−x=x(x−1), which is ≥0 outside [0,1] and ≤0 inside [0,1].
- AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-20-AN1 markMCQQ.If f(x)={2x+3,ax2+bx,x≤1x>1 is differentiable ∀x∈R, then f′(2)= (A) 5 (B) 4 (C) −4 (D) −10
›Reveal solutionSolution
Match value and derivative at the junction x=1 to find a,b, then evaluate f′(2) — the answer is −4, (C).
Concept and Intuition
A piecewise function differentiable everywhere must, at the junction point, have matching function values (continuity, otherwise the derivative can't exist) and matching one-sided derivatives (the slopes must agree, else there's a corner).
Step-by-Step Solution
- Continuity at x=1: left value =2(1)+3=5. Right value =a(1)2+b(1)=a+b. So a+b=5.
- Differentiability at x=1: derivative of 2x+3 is 2 (constant). Derivative of ax2+bx is 2ax+b, at x=1: 2a+b. Equate: 2a+b=2.
- Subtract the two equations: (2a+b)−(a+b)=2−5⇒a=−3.
- Then b=5−a=5−(−3)=8. …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-23-FN1 markMCQQ.If f(x)=⎩⎨⎧ax2+bx−813,3x−3,bx3+1,x≤11<x≤2x>2 is differentiable ∀x∈R, then a−b= (A) 89 (B) 45 (C) 811 (D) 41
›Reveal solutionSolution
Match value and slope at the two breakpoints x=1,2 to pin down a and b; the system is consistent and gives a−b=89.
Concept and Intuition
Differentiability at a breakpoint requires both continuity (matching values from both sides) and matching one-sided derivatives. With a piecewise cubic/quadratic/linear function, we get one continuity equation and one derivative-matching equation at each breakpoint — four equations total for two unknowns, which must be mutually consistent for the function to be genuinely differentiable everywhere.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Continuity at x=1: left value =a(1)2+b(1)−813=a+b−813; right value (from the middle piece as x→1+) =3(1)−3=0.
a+b−813=0 ⇒ a+b=813(i)
- Continuity at x=2: left value (middle piece) =3(2)−3=3; right value (as x→2+) =b(2)3+1=8b+1.
3=8b+1 ⇒ b=41
- From (i): a=813−41=813−82=811.
- Check differentiability at x=1: left derivative =2ax+b∣x=1=2a+b=2(811)+41=822+82=824=3; right derivative (middle piece, constant slope) =3. Matches. …
- AP EAPCET 2023Set eng-2023-05-15-FN1 markMCQQ.Let f(x) be a real valued function. If f′(x) is a constant for all x∈R, f(0)=2 and f′(0)=1, then (A) f(x) is not continuous on R (B) f(x) is continuous at x=0,1,2 and 3 only (C) f(x) is continuous only on [0,∞) (D) f(x) is continuous on R
›Reveal solutionSolution
A constant derivative everywhere forces f to be linear, f(x)=x+2, which (being a polynomial) is continuous on the whole real line.
Concept and Intuition
If f′(x)=m (a fixed constant) for every real x, then integrating (or simply recognizing this as the defining property of a straight line) gives f(x)=mx+k for some constant k. Polynomials — including linear functions — are continuous everywhere on R, so there's no room for any of the "fails at some points" options to be correct; differentiability everywhere is actually a stronger condition than continuity everywhere, and it's given here as a hypothesis (constant derivative existing at every real x), so continuity everywhere follows immediately.
Step-by-Step Solution
- f′(x)=m (constant) for all x∈R means f(x)=mx+k for some constants m,k (this is the unique family of functions with constant derivative everywhere).
- f′(0)=1⇒m=1.
- f(0)=2⇒k=2.
- So f(x)=x+2 — a polynomial, hence continuous (and differentiable) at every real number.
- Since f is differentiable everywhere (given, as f′(x) exists and is constant for all x), it must also be continuous everywhere — differentiability at a point always implies continuity there.
Step-by-Step Solution (continued reasoning on the options)
- Option (A) claims discontinuity somewhere — contradicts having a derivative everywhere.
- Option (B) claims continuity only at isolated points 0,1,2,3 — but a function differentiable at every real x can't be discontinuous at, say, 0.5. …
- AP EAPCET 2023Set eng-2023-05-17-FN1 markMCQQ.Let f(x)=⎩⎨⎧3−e1/x5e1/x+2,0,x=0x=0. Then at x=0, xf(x) and f(x) are respectively (A) Differentiable and continuous (B) Continuous and differentiable (C) Continuous and not differentiable (D) Not differentiable and continuous
›Reveal solutionSolution
f itself has different one-sided limits at 0 (so it's not even continuous there), while multiplying by x tames the jump (making xf(x) continuous) but a derivative check on xf(x) still fails because it reduces to limf(x), which doesn't exist.
Concept and Intuition
When a function has a jump discontinuity but stays bounded near the point, multiplying by (x−x0) (here x0=0) forces continuity there (since bounded ×→0→0). But that trick doesn't automatically restore differentiability — checking the derivative of xf(x) at 0 from first principles brings back exactly the one-sided limits of f itself.
Step-by-Step Solution
- As x→0+: x1→+∞, so e1/x→∞. Divide num/denom by e1/x: f(x)=3e−1/x−15+2e−1/x→0−15+0=−5.
- As x→0−: x1→−∞, so e1/x→0. f(x)→3−05(0)+2=32.
- Since −5=32, limx→0f(x) doesn't exist, so f is discontinuous at x=0, hence automatically not differentiable there.
- For g(x)=xf(x): as x→0 (either side), f(x) stays bounded (approaching −5 or 2/3), so x⋅f(x)→0. Also g(0)=0⋅f(0)=0 (given f(0)=0). So limx→0g(x)=g(0)=0 — g is continuous at 0. …
- AP EAPCET 2023Set eng-2023-05-18-AN1 markMCQQ.If f(x)={ax2−bx+2,bx2−3,x<3x≥3 is differentiable at every x∈R, then the area (in sq units) of the triangle formed by the line ax+by=1 with the coordinate axes is (A) 81175 (B) 27175 (C) 2735 (D) 27125
›Reveal solutionSolution
Matching value and slope of the piecewise function at x=3 pins down a=35/9, b=10/3; the triangle formed by x/a+y/b=1 with the axes then has area 175/27.
Concept and Intuition
A piecewise function built from two polynomial pieces is differentiable at the junction point only if both the function values AND the derivatives agree there — continuity alone (matching values) is not enough for differentiability.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Continuity at x=3: 9a−3b+2=9b−3⇒9a−12b=−5. — (i)
- Derivatives: left f′(x)=2ax−b, right f′(x)=2bx. At x=3: 6a−b=6b⇒6a=7b⇒a=67b. — (ii)
- Substitute (ii) into (i): 9(67b)−12b=−5⇒663b−12b=−5⇒10.5b−12b=−5⇒−1.5b=−5⇒b=310.
- a=67⋅310=1870=935.
- Line ax+by=1 has x-intercept =a=935 and y-intercept =b=310. …
- AP EAPCET 2023Set eng-2023-05-19-FN1 markMCQQ.Assertion (A): If f(x) is not continuous at x=a, then it is not differentiable at x=a. Reason (R): If f(x) is differentiable at a point, then it is continuous at that point. (A) (A) and (R) are both true, (R) is correct explanation of (A) (B) (A) and (R) are both true, (R) is not correct explanation of (A) (C) (A) is true, (R) is false (D) (A) is false, (R) is true
›Reveal solutionSolution
(A) is the contrapositive of the true theorem (R), so both are true and (R) explains (A).
Concept and Intuition
The theorem "differentiable ⇒ continuous" is standard and true. Its logical contrapositive — "not continuous ⇒ not differentiable" — is automatically true whenever the original implication is true, and is a direct restatement/explanation of it.
Step-by-Step Solution
- (R): differentiable at a point ⇒ continuous at that point. This is a fundamental, true calculus theorem.
- (A): not continuous at x=a ⇒ not differentiable at x=a. This is logically the contrapositive of (R): "P⇒Q" is equivalent to "¬Q⇒¬P".
- Since a statement and its contrapositive are logically equivalent, (A) being the contrapositive of the true statement (R) is itself true. …
- AP EAPCET 2022Set eng-2022-07-04-AN1 markMCQQ.If f(x)=⎩⎨⎧log(1+x)x2log(cosx),0,x=0x=0, then at x=0, f(x) is (A) not continuous (B) continuous but not differentiable (C) differentiable (D) not continuous, but differentiable
›Reveal solutionSolution
Using the standard small-x approximations log(cosx)≈−x2/2 and log(1+x)≈x, f(x) behaves like −x3/2 near 0, which is both continuous and differentiable there with f′(0)=0.
Concept and Intuition
When checking continuity/differentiability of a piecewise-defined function at the "seam" point, replace the transcendental factors by their leading-order Taylor approximations near that point — this converts a hard limit into simple algebra with powers of x.
Step-by-Step Solution
- For small x: cosx≈1−2x2, so log(cosx)≈log(1−2x2)≈−2x2.
- Also log(1+x)≈x−2x2+⋯≈x for the leading order.
- So for x=0: f(x)=log(1+x)x2log(cosx)≈xx2⋅(−x2/2)=−2x3.
- Continuity at 0: x→0limf(x)=x→0lim(−2x3)=0=f(0). So f is continuous at 0. …
- AP EAPCET 2022Set eng-2022-07-07-AN1 markMCQQ.f(x)=⎩⎨⎧4x2−14−∞<x<−5−5≤x≤55≤x<∞ If k is the number of points where f(x) is not differentiable then k−2= (A) 2 (B) 1 (C) 0 (D) 3
›Reveal solutionSolution
Check continuity and matching one-sided derivatives at the two join points x=±5. Answer: k=2, so k−2=0.
Concept and Intuition
A piecewise function can only fail to be differentiable at the points where the pieces are stitched together. At such a point, the function must first be continuous (otherwise differentiability is moot), and then the left- and right-hand derivatives must be checked to see if they agree — a "kink" (unequal slopes) is exactly what breaks differentiability even when the function itself is continuous.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Check continuity at x=−5: left piece value =4; right piece x2−1 at x=−5 gives 5−1=4. Equal — continuous there.
- Check continuity at x=5: middle piece gives 5−1=4; right piece constant 4. Equal — continuous there too. So f is continuous everywhere.
- Derivative of the middle piece x2−1 is 2x. At x=−5: slope from inside =2(−5)=−25; slope from the constant piece outside =0. Since −25=0, not differentiable at x=−5. …
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