1

Question 4:
x2 −1
x−1 ; for x≠1
If f (x) = {
2 ; for x = 1
Find whether f(x) is continuous at x = 1.

Answer 4:
Given:
x2 −1
x−1 , if x ≠ 1
f (x) = {
2, if x = 1

We observe
(LHL at x = 1) = lim− f (x) = lim f (1 − h)
x→1 h→0
(1−h)2 −1 1+h2 −2h−1 h2 −2h h(h−2)
= lim (1−h)−1 = lim 1−h−1
= lim = lim = lim (2 − h) = 2
h→0 h→0 h→0 −h h→0 −h h→0

(RHL at x = 1) = lim f (x) = lim f (1 + h)

x→1+ h→0
2
(1+h) −1 1+h2 +2h−1 h2 +2h h(h+2)
= lim (1+h)−1 = lim 1+h−1
= lim h
= lim h
= lim (2 + h) = 2
h→0 h→0 h→0 h→0 h→0

Given:
f (1) = 2

∴ lim− f (x) = lim+ f (x) = f (1)

x→1 x→1

Hence, f (x) is continuous at x = 1.

Question 5:
sin 3x
x , when x≠0
If f (x) = {
1 , when x = 0
Find whether f(x) is continuous at x = 0.

Answer 5:
Given:
sin 3x
x , when x ≠ 0
f (x) = {
1, when x = 0

We observe
(LHL at x = 0) = lim f (x) = lim f (0 − h) = lim f (−h)
x→0− h→0 h→0
sin(−3h) − sin(3h) 3 sin(3h) sin(3h)
= lim −h
= lim −h = lim 3h = 3 lim 3h
=3⋅1=3
h→0 h→0 h→0 h→0
 (RHL at x = 0) = lim+ f (x) = lim f (h)
x→0 h→0
sin 3h 3 sin 3h sin(3h)
= lim h = lim 3h
= 3 lim 3h
=3⋅1=3
h→0 h→0 h→0

Given:
f (0) = 1

It is known that for a function f (x) to be continuous at x = a,

lim f (x) = lim+ f (x) = f (a)
x→a− x→a

But here,
lim f (x) = lim+ f (x) ≠ f (0)
x→0− x→0

Hence, f (x) is discontinuous at x = 0.

Question 6:
e1/x , if x ≠ 0
If f (x) = { find whether f is continuous at x = 0.
1 , if x = 0

Answer 6:
Given:
1
e x , if x ≠ 0
f (x) = {
1, if x = 0

We observe
(LHL at x = 0) = lim− f (x) = lim f (0 − h) = lim f (−h)
x→0 h→0 h→0
−1
1 1
= lim e h = lim ( 1 )= 1 =0
h→0 h→0 eh lim e h
h→0

(RHL at x = 0) = lim f (x) = lim f (h)

x→0+ h→0
1
= lim e h =∞
h→0

Given:
f (0) = 1

It is known that for a function f (x) to be continuous at x = a,

lim f (x) = lim+ f (x) = f (a)
x→a− x→a

But here,
lim f (x) ≠ lim+ f (x)
x→0− x→0

Hence, f (x) is discontinuous at x = 0.

Question 7:
 1−cos x
x2
, when x≠0
Let f (x) = {
1 , when x = 0
Show that f(x) is discontinuous at x = 0.

Answer 7:
Given:
1−cos x
, when x ≠ 0
f (x) = { x2
1, when x = 0

Consider:
lim f (x) = lim ( 1−cos
2
x
)
x→0 x→0 x
x
2 sin2
2
⇒ lim f (x) = lim ( )
x→0 x→0 x2

⎛ 2 sin2 x2 ⎞
⇒ lim f (x) = lim ⎜ x2 ⎟
x→0 x→0
⎝ 4( 4 ) ⎠
x 2
⎛ 2(sin ) ⎞
2
⇒ lim f (x) = lim x 2
x→0 x→0 ⎝ 4( ) ⎠
2

x 2
si n
2 2
⇒ lim f (x) = lim (
4 x→0 x )
x→0
2

1
⇒ lim f (x) = 2
⋅ 12 = 1
2
x→0

Given:
f (0) = 1

∴ lim f (x) ≠ f (0)

x→0

Thus, f(x) is discontinuous at x = 0.

Question 8:
x−|x|
2 , when x≠0
Show that f (x) = {
2 , when x = 0
is discontinuous at x = 0.

Answer 8:
The given function can be rewritten as:
x−x
⎧⎪ 2 , when x > 0
f (x) = ⎨ x+x , when x < 0
⎪⎩ 2
2, when x = 0
⎧⎪ 0, when x > 0
⇒ f (x) = ⎨ x, when x < 0
⎪⎩
2, when x = 0

We observe
(LHL at x = 0) = lim− f (x) = lim f (0 − h) = lim f (−h)= lim (−h) = 0
x→0 h→0 h→0 h→0

(RHL at x = 0) = lim+ f (x) = lim f (0 − h) = lim f (h)= lim 0 = 0

x→0 h→0 h→0 h→0
 And, f (0) = 2
∴ lim− f (x) = lim+ f (x) ≠ f (0)
x→0 x→0

Thus, f(x) is discontinuous at x = 0.

Question 9:
|x−a|
x−a , when x≠a
Show that f (x) = {
1 , when x = a
is discontinuous at x = a.

Answer 9:
The given function can be rewritten as:
x−a
⎧⎪ x−a , when x > a
f (x) = ⎨ a−x , when x < a
⎪⎩ x−a
1, when x = a
⎧⎪ 1, when x > a
⇒ f (x) = ⎨ −1, when x < a
⎪⎩
1, when x = a

1, when x ≥ a
⇒ f (x) = {
−1, when x < a

We observe
(LHL at x = a) = lim− f (x) = lim f (a − h)= lim (−1) = −1
x→a h→0 h→0

(RHL at x = a) = lim+ f (x) = lim f (a + h)= lim (1) = 1

x→a h→0 h→0

∴ lim− f (x) ≠ lim+ f (x)

x→a x→a

Thus, f(x) is discontinuous at x = a.

Question 10:
Discuss the continuity of the following functions at the indicated point(s):
|x| cos ( 1x ), x≠0
(i) f (x) ={ at x = 0
0 , x=0

x2 sin ( 1x ), x≠0
(ii) f (x) ={ at x = 0
0 , x=0

1
(x − a) sin ( x−a ), x≠a
(iii) f (x) ={ at x = a
0 , x=a

ex −1
log(1+2x)
, if x≠a
(iv) f (x) ={ at x = 0
7 , if x = 0
 1−xn
1−x
, x≠1
(v) f (x) ={ n ∈ N at x = 1
n−1 , x=1

∣x2 −1∣
x−1
, for x≠1
(vi) f (x) ={ at x = 1
2 , for x = 1

2|x|+x2
x
, x≠0
(vii) f (x) ={ at x = 0
0 , x=0

(viii)
1
|x − a| sin ( x−a ), for x ≠ a
f (x) = { at x = a
0, for x = a

Answer 10:
(i) Given:
|x| cos ( 1x ), x ≠ 0
f (x) = {
0, x = 0
We observe
lim f (x) = lim |x| cos ( 1x )
x→0 x→0

⇒ lim f (x) = lim |x| lim cos ( 1x )

x→0 x→0 x→0

⇒ lim f (x) = 0 × lim cos ( 1x ) = 0

x→0 x→0

⇒ lim f (x) = f (0)

x→0
Hence, f(x) is continuous at x = 0.

(ii) Given:
x2 sin 1x , x ≠ 0
f (x) = {
0, x = 0
We observe
lim x2 sin ( 1x ) = lim x2 lim sin ( 1x ) = 0 × lim sin ( 1x ) = 0
x→0 x→0 x→0 x→0
⇒ lim f (x) = f (0)
x→0
Hence, f(x) is continuous at x = 0.

(iii) Given:
1
(x − a) sin ( x−a ), x ≠ a
f (x) = {
0, x = a

Putting x−a = y, we get

1
lim (x − a) sin ( x−a ) = lim y sin ( y1 )= lim y lim sin ( y1 ) = 0 × lim sin ( y1 ) = 0
x→a y→0 y→0 y→0 y→0
⇒ lim f (x) = f (a) = 0
x→a
Hence, f(x) is continuous at x = a.
(iv) Given:
ex −1
log(1+2x)
, if x ≠ 0
f (x) = {
7, if x = 0

We observe
ex −1
lim f (x) = lim log(1+2x)
x→0 x→0
ex −1
⇒ lim f (x) = lim 2x log(1+2x)
x→0 x→0
2x

ex −1
( )
1 x
⇒ lim f (x) = lim
2 x→0 log(1+2x)
x→0 ( )
2x

ex −1
(lim )
1 x→0 x 1 1 1
⇒ lim f (x) = 2
× = 2
× 1
= 2
x→0 (lim
log(1+2x)
)
x→0 2x

And, f (0)
=7
⇒ lim f (x) ≠ f (0)
x→0

Hence, f(x) is discontinuous at x = 0.

(v) Given:
1−xn
1−x , x≠1
f (x) = {
n − 1, x = 1

Here, f (1) =n−1

1−xn
lim f (x) = lim
x→1 x→1 1−x
n−1 n−2 n−3 2 0
⇒ lim f (x) = lim [(1 − x) + nC1 (1 − x) x + nC2 (1 − x) x +. . . + nCn−1 (1 − x) xn−1 ]
x→1 x→1

n−1
⇒ lim f (x) = 0 + 0. . . +(1) = 1 ≠ f (1)
x→1

Thus, f (x) is discontinuous at x = 1.

(vi) Given:
∣x2 −1∣
x−1 , x≠1
f (x) = {
2, x = 1
⎧⎪ x + 1, x < −1
⎪ −x − 1, − 1 ≤ x < 1
⇒ f (x) = ⎨
⎪⎪ x + 1, x > 1
⎩
2, x = 1

We observe
(LHL at x = 1) = lim f (x) = lim f (1 − h) = lim − (1 − h) − 1 = lim − 2 + h = −2
x→1− h→0 h→0 h→0
And, f (1) =2

⇒ lim− f (x) ≠ f (1)

x→1
Hence, f(x) is discontinuous at x = 1.

(vii) Given:
2|x|+x2
x , x≠0
f (x) = {
0, x = 0

2x+x2
⎧⎪⎪ x
, x>0
2
⇒ f (x) = ⎨ −2x+x
, x<0
⎪⎪⎩ x
0, x = 0

⎧⎪ (x + 2), x > 0
⇒ f (x) = ⎨ (x − 2), x < 0
⎪⎩
0, x = 0

We observe

(LHL at x = 0) = lim f (x) = lim f (−h) = lim [−h − 2] = −2

x→0− h→0 h→0
(RHL at x = 0) = lim f (x) = lim f (h) = lim (2 + h) = 2
x→0+ h→0 h→0

⇒ lim− f (x) ≠ lim+ f (x)

x→0 x→0

Hence, f(x) is discontinuous at x = 0.

(viii) Given:
1
|x − a| sin ( x−a ), for x ≠ a
f (x) = {
0, for x = a

1
⎧⎪ (x − a) sin ( x−a ), x > 0
1
⇒ f (x) = ⎨ (x + a) sin ( x+a ), x < 0
⎪⎩
0, x = a

We observe

1
(LHL at x = a) = lim− f (x) = (−a + a) sin ( −a+a ) = 0
x→a
1
(RHL at x = a) = lim f (x) = (a − a) sin ( a−a ) = 0
x→a+

⇒ lim− f (x) = lim+ f (x) = f (a)

x→a x→a
Hence, f(x) is continuous at x = a.