Math 140B #7

§28 Basic Properties of the Derivative

Denition. Let f be a real-valued function dened on an open interval containing the point a. we say that f is dierentiable
at a if
f (x)−f (a)
limx→a x−a
exists and is nite. If this limit exists and is nite, we will write f 0 (a) for the derivative of f at a :
f (x)−f (a)
f 0 (a) = limx→a x−a

Theorem 1. (Dierentiable at a =⇒ Continuous at a) If f is dierentiable at a, then f is continuous at a.

Theorem 2. (Some familiar properties of the derivative) Let f and g be functions that are dierentiable at a. Each of the
functions cf (c a constant), f + g, f g, f /g are also dierentiable at a, except f /g if g (a) = 0. The formulas are given by
(i) 0
(cf ) (a) = cf 0 (a) ;
(ii) 0
(f + g) (a) = f 0 (a) + g 0 (a) ;
(iii) 0
(f g) (a) = f 0 (a) g (a) + f (a) g 0 (a) ;
 0
f f 0 (a) g (a) − g 0 (a) f (a)
(iv) (a) = 2 if g (a) 6= 0.
g (g (a))

Theorem 3. (Chain Rule) If f is dierentiable at a and g is dierentiable at f (a) , then the composite function g ◦ f is
dierentiable at a and
0
(g ◦ f ) (a) = g 0 (f (a)) f 0 (a) .

1) (a) (The Power Rule) Let n be an integer and dene f (x) = xn . Prove that f 0 (x) = nxn−1 .
(b) Conclude that any polynomial function is dierentiable on R.
(2) Suppose that f is dierentiable at a. Prove that
f (a+h)−f (a)
limh→0 h = f 0 (a) .

(3) Suppose that f is dierentiable at x0 . Then there is a function µ dened in an interval about 0 such that
f (x0 + h) − f (x0 ) = (f 0 (x0 ) + µ (h)) h.

Further, µ is continuous at 0 with µ (0) = 0.

(4) If f is dierentiable at a, prove that f is continuous at a.
(5) Let f be dened on the open interval (a, b) and suppose that for some x0 ∈ (a, b) we have f 0 (x0 ) > 0 or f 0 (x0 ) = ∞. Then
there is a neighborhood N (x0 ) ⊆ (a.b) such that for each x ∈ N (x0 ) we have f (x) > f (x0 ) if x > x0 , and f (x) < f (x0 ) if
x < x0 . [A similar result holds if f 0 (x0 ) < 0 or f 0 (x0 ) = −∞.
(6) Show that the function f (x) = x |x| is dierentiable for all x. What is the derivative?
(7) Let

x 2 x ∈ Q,
f (x) =
0 x ∈ R − Q.
Prove that f is dierentiable at 0.
(8) Let f : R → R be dened by

x 2 x ∈ Q,
f (x) =
x 3 x ∈ R − Q.
Determine whether f is dierentiable at 0.
(9) Let I ⊆ R be an open interval, let c ∈ I and let f : I → R be a function. Suppose that |f (x)| ≤ (x − c)2 for all x ∈ I . Prove
that f is dierentiable at c and f 0 (c) = 0.
(10) (a) If f is dierentiable, prove that
(i) f (x) even =⇒ f 0 (x) odd; (ii) f (x) odd =⇒ f 0 (x) even.
(b) If f is dierentiable and periodic, is f 0 (x) also periodic?
1