MSM910 Chapter 5 Homework

Xu Junjie
National Institute of Education
xujunjie1020@gmail.com
March 19, 2020

1
 Question 1
Proof. For any x0 ∈ R, we are to show that lim cos x = cos x0 .
x→x0
For any given  > 0, we are to find a δ > 0 such that whenever |x − x0 | < δ,
we always have | cos x − cos x0 | < .

| cos x − cos x0 | < 

 
−2 sin x + x0 sin x − x0  < 
 
 2 2 
As sin θ ≤ 1, and | sin θ| < |θ|, we have
   
−2 sin x + x0 sin x − x0  < 2  x − x0  < 
   
 2 2   2 
|x − x0 | < 
Thus we take δ = .
As lim cos x = cos x0 for any x0 ∈ R, the function y = cos x is continuous
x→x0
for all x = x0 .
Question 2

(a) Proof. For any x0 ∈ R, we are to show that lim xn = xn0 .

x→x0
For any given  > 0, we are to find a δ > 0 such that whenever
|x − x0 | < δ, we always have |xn − xn0 | < .

|xn − xn0 | < 

|(x − x0 )(xn−1 + x0 xn−2 + . . . + x0n−1 )| < 

|x − x0 ||xn−1 + x0 xn−2 + . . . + xn−1
0 |<
Let |x − x0 | < 1, then x ∈ (x0 − 1, x0 + 1). Obviously, every term in the
second modulus is bounded, and so is the complete second modulus.
We call the upper bound of the second modulus to be M .

|x − x0 |M < 

|x − x0 | <
M

Thus, we take δ = min(1, M ). Therefore, y = xn is continuous for all
x = x0 .

2
(b) Proof. We are to show that y = x−n , n ∈ N is continuous for all x = x0
and x0 6= 0.
For any given  > 0, we are to find a δ > 0 such that whenever
|x − x0 | < δ, we always have |x−n − x−n
0 | < .

|x−n − x−n
0 | < 
 n
 x − xn0 

 xn xn  < 
 
0

|x − x0 ||xn−1 + x0 xn−2 + . . . + xn−1

0 |
n n
<
|x x0 |
|x0 |
Let |x − x0 | < 2
,

|x0 | |x0 |
x0 − < x < x0 +
2 2
For x0 > 0, we have
|x0 | 3|x0 |
<x<
2 2
For x0 < 0, we have
3|x0 | |x0 |
− <x<−
2 2
Thus, we have
|x0 | 3|x0 |
< |x| <
2 2
Therefore, |xn xn0 | is bounded. We call the lower bound to be N . As
shown in part (a), the upper bound of |(xn−1 + x0 xn−2 + . . . + xn−1
0 )| is
M . Thus we have
|x − x0 |M
<
N
N
|x − x0 | <
M
Thus, we take δ = min( |x20 | , NM ).
As lim x−n = x−n0 for all x = x0 and x 6= 0, y = x−n is continuous for
x→x0
all x = x0 and x0 6= 0.

3
 p
(c) Proof. As the domain for y = x q is x ≥ 0 when q is an even number,
p
we only show that y = x q is continuous for all x = x0 and x0 > 0. The
proof for other cases is similar.
For any given  > 0, we are to find a pδ > 0 such that whenever
p
|x − x0 | < δ, we always have |x q − x0q | < .
1 1
|(x q )p − (x0q )p | < 
1 1 1 1
|x q − x0q |F (x q , x0q ) < 
1 1 1 1
F (x q , x0q ) is a function of x q and x0q , which is similar to the expression
in part (a).
Let |x − x0 | < |x20 | ,

|x0 | |x0 |
x0 − < x < x0 +
2 2
|x0 | 3|x0 |
<x<
2 2
1 1
F (x q , x0q ) is obviously bounded in this interval. We call the upper
bound to be M .
1 1
|x q − x0q |M < 
1 1

|x q − x0q | <
M
Similarly, we also have
1 1 1 1 1 1

|x − x0 | = ||(x q )q − (x0q )q | = |x q − x0q |G(x q , x0q ) < N
M
1 1
where N is the upper bound of G(x q , x0q ) in the previous interval of x.
p p

Thus, we take δ = min( |x20 | , NM ). As lim x q = x0q for all x = x0 and
x→x0
p
x0 > 0, y = x is continuous for all x = x0 and x0 > 0.
q

4
 Question 3
Answer: f (x) = 1 is continuous on R. g(x) = x2 + 1 is continuous on R,
1
g(x) 6= 0 for any x ∈ R. Therefore, 2 is continuous on R.
x +1

Question 4
Answer: As f (x) is continuous on R, it is also continuous at x = 0. Thus,
we have lim f (x) = f (0) = a.
x→0
 
3 3 1
−|x| ≤ x sin ≤ |x|3
x
As both lim −|x|3 = lim |x|3 = 0, by the squeeze theorem, we have
x→0 x→0
 
3 1
lim x sin =0
x→0 x

Thus a = 0.
The End