Determining the

Relationship Between
Differentiability and
Continuity of a Function
Sir Okiks
March 21, 2023
Objectives

• Determine the relationship between

differentiability and continuity of a
function
Continuous Function
Recall
A function 𝒇(𝒙) is continuous at a point 𝒄 if and
only if the following three conditions are satisfied:
i. 𝒇(𝒄) is defined
ii. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) exists
𝒙→𝒄
iii. 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒄)
𝒙→𝒄

If one or more of these conditions are not satisfied,

the function 𝒇(𝒙) is said to be discontinuous at 𝒙 = 𝒄.
Derivative of a Function

A function 𝑓(𝑥) is differentiable at the

number 𝑥 if
𝑓 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 𝑓 𝑥
𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
exists.
Example 1

Consider the function

𝑥2 𝑥 < −1
𝑓 𝑥 =ቊ
−1 − 2𝑥, 𝑥 ≥ −1
Is the function both continuous and differentiable
at 𝑥 = −1?
 2
𝑥 𝑥 < −1
Example 1: 𝑓 𝑥 = ቊ
−1 − 2𝑥, 𝑥 ≥ −1
Let us check for continuity:
i. 𝒇 −𝟏 = −𝟏 − 𝟐 −𝟏 = 𝟏
𝟐
ii. 𝐥𝐢𝐦− 𝒇 𝒙 = −𝟏 = 𝟏
𝒙→−𝟏
iii. 𝐥𝐢𝐦+ 𝒇 𝒙 = −𝟏 − 𝟐 −𝟏 = 𝟏
𝒙→−𝟏
Since 𝐥𝐢𝐦− 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦+ 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟏 = 𝒇(𝟏),
𝒙→−𝟏 𝒙→−𝟏
then the function 𝒇(𝒙) is continuous at 𝒙 = −𝟏.
 2
𝑥 𝑥 < −1
Example 1: 𝑓 𝑥 = ቊ
−1 − 2𝑥, 𝑥 ≥ −1
Let us check for differentiability:
Left side limit
𝒙 + ∆𝒙 𝟐 − 𝒙𝟐 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟐𝒙∆𝒙 + ∆𝒙 𝟐
− 𝒙𝟐
𝐥𝐢𝐦− = 𝐥𝐢𝐦−
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙 ∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙
𝟐
𝟐𝒙∆𝒙 − ∆𝒙 ∆𝒙(𝟐𝒙 − ∆𝒙)
𝐥𝐢𝐦− = 𝐥𝐢𝐦−
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙 ∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙
𝐥𝐢𝐦− 𝟐𝒙 − ∆𝒙 = 𝟐𝒙
∆𝒙→𝟎
 2
𝑥 𝑥 < −1
Example 1: 𝑓 𝑥 = ቊ
−1 − 2𝑥, 𝑥 ≥ −1
Let us check for differentiability:
Right side limit
−𝟏 − 𝟐 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 − −𝟏 − 𝟐𝒙
𝐥𝐢𝐦+
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙
−𝟏 − 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟐∆𝒙 + 𝟏 + 𝟐𝒙 −𝟐∆𝒙
𝐥𝐢𝐦+ = 𝐥𝐢𝐦+ = −𝟐
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙 ∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙
Since 𝐥𝐢𝐦− 𝒇 𝒙 ≠ 𝐥𝐢𝐦+ 𝒇 𝒙 , the function 𝒇(𝒙) is not
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙→𝟎
differentiable at 𝒙 = −𝟏.
 2
𝑥 𝑥 < −1
Example 1: 𝑓 𝑥 = ቊ
−1 − 2𝑥, 𝑥 ≥ −1

This shows that a function may be continuous at

a point but is not differentiable at that point.
Example 2

Consider the function 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙 . Is it

differentiable at 𝒙 = 𝟏? 𝒙 = 𝟎?
Example 2: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥
Remember that the square root function 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙 is
continuous at 𝟎, ∞ . Let us check if it is differentiable
at 𝒙 = 𝟏 and at 𝒙 = 𝟎.
′
𝒙 + ∆𝒙 − 𝒙
𝒇 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙
′
𝒙 + ∆𝒙 − 𝒙 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 + 𝒙
𝒇 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 ∙
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 + 𝒙
′
𝒙 + ∆𝒙 − 𝒙 𝟏
𝒇 𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦
∆𝒙→𝟎 ∆𝒙 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 + 𝒙 ∆𝒙→𝟎 𝒙 + ∆𝒙 + 𝒙
Example 2: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥
𝟏
𝒇′ 𝒙 =
𝟐 𝒙
At 𝒙 = 𝟎
𝟏𝟏
𝒇′ 𝟎 = = ; (𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅)
𝟐 𝟎 𝟎
At 𝒙 = 𝟏
′
𝟏𝟏
𝒇 𝟏 = =
𝟐 𝟏 𝟐
Example 2: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥
𝒙 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝒇′(𝒙)
𝒙

0 Yes undefined

1 Yes 1/2

This shows that if a function is differentiable

at a point, it is also continuous at that point.
Theorem 6

If a function 𝑓 is differentiable at 𝑥 = 𝑐, then

𝑓 is continuous at 𝑥 = 𝑐.
Remember

✓ If 𝑓 is continuous at 𝑥 = 𝑎, it does not mean

that 𝑓 is differentiable at 𝑥 = 𝑎.
✓ If 𝑓 is not continuous at 𝑥 = 𝑎, then 𝑓 is not
differentiable at 𝑥 = 𝑎.
✓ If 𝑓 is not differentiable at 𝑥 = 𝑎, it does not
mean that 𝑓 is not continuous at 𝑥 = 𝑎.
Remember

✓ A function 𝑓 is not differentiable at 𝑥 = 𝑎 if one

of the ff. is true;
i. 𝑓 is not continuous at 𝑥 = 𝑎.
ii. the graph of 𝑓 has a vertical tangent line at
𝑥 = 𝑎.
iii. the graph of 𝑓 has a corner or a cusp at 𝑥 = 𝑎.
Example 3

Given that
2
𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 7
Is 𝑓(𝑥) continuous at 𝑥 = 3? Is 𝑓(𝑥) differentiable
at 𝑥 = 3?
Example 3: 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 7
2

Continuity of 𝑓(𝑥):

Note that a polynomial function is

continuous everywhere, hence, 𝑓(𝑥) is definitely
continuous at 𝑥 = 3.
Example 3: 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 7 2

Differentiability:
′
𝑓 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 − 𝑓 𝑥
𝑓 𝑥 = lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
2 2
′
2 𝑥 + ∆𝑥− 3 𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + 7 − 2𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 7
𝑓 𝑥 = lim
∆𝑥→0
2 2
∆𝑥 2
′
2 𝑥 + 2𝑥∆𝑥 + ∆ 𝑥 − 3𝑥 − 3∆𝑥 + 7 − 2𝑥 + 3𝑥 − 7
𝑓 𝑥 = lim
∆𝑥→0
2
∆𝑥
′
4𝑥∆𝑥 + 2∆ 𝑥 − 3∆𝑥 ∆𝑥 4𝑥 + 2∆𝑥 − 3
𝑓 𝑥 = lim = lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥 ∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥
Example 3: 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 7 2

Differentiability:
4𝑥∆𝑥 + 2∆2 𝑥 − 3∆𝑥 ∆𝑥 4𝑥 + 2∆𝑥 − 3
′
𝑓 𝑥 = lim = lim
∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥 ∆𝑥→0 ∆𝑥

𝑓 ′ 𝑥 = 4𝑥 − 3
At 𝑥 = 3
𝑓′ 3 = 4 3 − 3 = 9
Therefore, 𝑓(𝑥) is differentiable at 𝑥 = 3
Your Turn

Determine the continuity and differentiability of

the function
2
𝑓 𝑥 = 5𝑥 − 4
at 𝑥 = 2.
Remember

Continuity does
Differentiability not necessarily
implies continuity imply
differentiability.