Q.Find $f(a)$, if $f$ is continuous at $x=a$ where, $f(x) = \dfrac{1+\cos(\pi x)}{\pi(1-x)^2}$, for $x \ne 1$ and at $a=1$.

A function $f(x)$ is continuous at a point $x=a$ when three separate requirements all hold together: the function must actually be defined at $a$ (and on a whole open interval around it), the limit $\lim_{x\to a} f(x)$ must exist as a single finite number, and that limiting value must be exactly equal to $f(a)$ itself. If any one of these three fails — the value is missing, the two-sided limit does not exist, or the limit disagrees with the assigned value — the function is discontinuous at that point. An equivalent way to state the third condition is $\lim_{h\to0}[f(a+h)-f(a)]=0$, which says that as the input is nudged away from $a$ by a shrinking amount $h$, the resulting change in output must also shrink to zero, ruling out any sudden jump rig …