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Understanding Derivatives: The Difference Quotient and Points of Non-Differentiability, Study notes of Calculus

This document delves into the concept of the difference quotient, a specific rational function used to define the derivative. It discusses functions that are continuous but not differentiable at certain points and the impact of closed intervals on finding maxima and minima. The document also covers the definition of the derivative and the difference between continuous and differentiable functions.

What you will learn

  • How does the definition of a derivative differ from the definition of a continuous function?
  • Which functions are continuous but not differentiable at certain points?
  • What is the difference quotient and how is it used to define the derivative?

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2021/2022

Uploaded on 09/12/2022

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Differentiability
The Difference Quotient and the Derivative
Today we will study what it exactly means for a function to have a derivative. In doing so, we will talk
about a specific rational function, called the difference quotient, and how it it used to define the derivative.
We will discuss functions which are continuous at a point but do not have a derivative at that point, and
we will talk about functions defined on a closed interval and how being defined on a closed interval impacts
the search for maxima and minima.
Let f(x) be any real valued function, and let abe a value of xat which f(x) is defined. We will define a
new function δ(x) by
δ(x) = f(x)f(a)
xa.
The function δ(x) is called the difference quotient of f(x) at x=a. It is defined everywhere f(x) is defined
except for x=a:
Dom(δ) = {xR:xDom(f), x 6=a}.
You may recognize this difference quotient as being very much like the slope formulae: indeed, we have seen
a formula like this once before. Geometrically, we can represent δ(p) for some value pof xat which δ(x) is
defined as being the slope of the line passing through the graph of f(x) at x=pand at x=a. If you are
reading these notes on your own, you should sketch out the graph of a typical function f(x), pick a value
for aand a value of p, and draw the line passing through the points (a,f (a) and (p, f (p)). The slope of this
line then represents δ(p).
Given that our last lecture dealt with rational functions and how to find their limits at points outside of
their domains, it should seem natural to you that we are going to find the limit of δ(x) as xapproaches a.
Geometrically, we see this limit as being the slope of the line we drew above as pgets closer and closer to a
from either side. As pgets closer and closer, that line begins to look more and more like the tangent line to
f(x) at x=a. Since δ(x) represents the slope of this line, the limit of δ(x) as xapproaches afrom either
side, if it exists, will equal the slope of this tangent line. We have a name for the slope of the tangent line
to f(x) at x=a: the derivative. Therefore we write:
df
dx(a) = lim
xa
f(x)f(a)
xa.
This is the definition of the derivative of f(x) at x=a. It is the limit of a rational function, the difference
quotient of f(x) at x=a. We say that f(x) is differentiable at x=aif this limit exists. If this limit does
not exist, we say that ais a point of non-differentiability for f(x). If f(x) is differentiable at every point
in its domain, we say that f(x) is a differentiable function on its domain. So far, every function we have
studied in this class, with the exception of the piecewise continuous functions, is differentiable everywhere
on its domain: this includes polynomial functions, the trigonometric functions (we emphasize that we are
talking about having a derivative where they are defined), the exponential functions, the power functions,
and all stretches and shifts of these functions.
Now that we have a limit definition for the derivative and a reasonable idea of how to take a limit, we are
going to discuss the derivatives of some basic functions again in this context. All of the formulae you have
learned in this class for the derivatives of functions can be derived from the limit definition of the derivative.
For example, consider a constant function f(x) = c. Plugging this formula into the limit definition for the
derivative, we get that
df
dx(a) = lim
xa
f(x)f(a)
xa= lim
xa
cc
xa= lim
xa
0
xa.
Now, the function 0
xais the zero function everywhere except at x=a, where it is undefined. Therefore
that last limit is equal to 0. Thus we have shown that
df
dx(a) = 0,
which is precisely the formula that we have been using throughout this course.
1
pf3
pf4

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Differentiability

The Difference Quotient and the Derivative

Today we will study what it exactly means for a function to have a derivative. In doing so, we will talk about a specific rational function, called the difference quotient, and how it it used to define the derivative. We will discuss functions which are continuous at a point but do not have a derivative at that point, and we will talk about functions defined on a closed interval and how being defined on a closed interval impacts the search for maxima and minima. Let f (x) be any real valued function, and let a be a value of x at which f (x) is defined. We will define a new function δ(x) by

δ(x) =

f (x) − f (a) x − a

The function δ(x) is called the difference quotient of f (x) at x = a. It is defined everywhere f (x) is defined except for x = a: Dom(δ) = {x ∈ R : x ∈ Dom(f ), x 6 = a}.

You may recognize this difference quotient as being very much like the slope formulae: indeed, we have seen a formula like this once before. Geometrically, we can represent δ(p) for some value p of x at which δ(x) is defined as being the slope of the line passing through the graph of f (x) at x = p and at x = a. If you are reading these notes on your own, you should sketch out the graph of a typical function f (x), pick a value for a and a value of p, and draw the line passing through the points (a, f (a) and (p, f (p)). The slope of this line then represents δ(p). Given that our last lecture dealt with rational functions and how to find their limits at points outside of their domains, it should seem natural to you that we are going to find the limit of δ(x) as x approaches a. Geometrically, we see this limit as being the slope of the line we drew above as p gets closer and closer to a from either side. As p gets closer and closer, that line begins to look more and more like the tangent line to f (x) at x = a. Since δ(x) represents the slope of this line, the limit of δ(x) as x approaches a from either side, if it exists, will equal the slope of this tangent line. We have a name for the slope of the tangent line to f (x) at x = a: the derivative. Therefore we write:

df dx

(a) = lim x→a

f (x) − f (a) x − a

This is the definition of the derivative of f (x) at x = a. It is the limit of a rational function, the difference quotient of f (x) at x = a. We say that f (x) is differentiable at x = a if this limit exists. If this limit does not exist, we say that a is a point of non-differentiability for f (x). If f (x) is differentiable at every point in its domain, we say that f (x) is a differentiable function on its domain. So far, every function we have studied in this class, with the exception of the piecewise continuous functions, is differentiable everywhere on its domain: this includes polynomial functions, the trigonometric functions (we emphasize that we are talking about having a derivative where they are defined), the exponential functions, the power functions, and all stretches and shifts of these functions. Now that we have a limit definition for the derivative and a reasonable idea of how to take a limit, we are going to discuss the derivatives of some basic functions again in this context. All of the formulae you have learned in this class for the derivatives of functions can be derived from the limit definition of the derivative. For example, consider a constant function f (x) = c. Plugging this formula into the limit definition for the derivative, we get that df dx

(a) = lim x→a

f (x) − f (a) x − a

= lim x→a

c − c x − a

= lim x→a

x − a

Now, the function (^) x−^0 a is the zero function everywhere except at x = a, where it is undefined. Therefore that last limit is equal to 0. Thus we have shown that

df dx (a) = 0,

which is precisely the formula that we have been using throughout this course.

Let us try another simple example: take f (x) = mx+b. Substituting this formula into the limit definition, we get

df dx

(a) = lim x→a

f (x) − f (a) x − a

= lim x→a

(mx + b) − (ma + b) x − a

= lim x→a

mx − ma x − a

= lim x→a

m(x − a) x − a

This rightmost function is a rational polynomial function which equals m everywhere on its domain, which is all real numbers except a. Thus this last limit is equal to m, so that

df dx

(a) = m.

Finally, let us consider the function f (x) = ex. We will find its derivative at a specific point, a = 1, with a numerical table. First, let us write out the limit we need to find:

df dx

(1) = lim x→ 1

f (x) − f (a) x − a

= lim x→a

ex^ − e^1 x − 1

= lim x→ 1

ex^ − e x − 1

= lim x→ 1 δ(x).

Now let us make a table to estimate this limit. The entries in the table are accurate to the nearest millionth:

x δ(x) 0.000000 1. 0.900000 2. 0.990000 2. 0.999000 2. 0.999900 2. 0.999990 2. 0.999999 2.

x δ(x) 2.000000 4. 1.100000 2. 1.010000 2. 1.001000 2. 1.000100 2. 1.000010 2. 1.000001 2.

Considering that the number is e is 2.718282 to the nearest millionth, it seems reasonably clear that this limit exists and equals e. This is consistent with our formula for the derivative of ex, which tells that

df dx

(1) = e^1 = e.

You may be wondering why we do not use L’Hˆopital’s Rule to find the limit above. Technically, we could use L’Hˆopital’s Rule, but then we would be using the formula for the derivative of ex^ to find the derivative of ex. L’Hˆopital’s Rule relies on the limit definition of the derivative, so we cannot use it to find the derivative of a function, or to show that a function has a derivative.

Points of Non-Differentiability

When is a function not differentiable at a point? The first answer to this question is that a function is not differentiable at a point if it is not continuous at that point. Consider again the limit definition of the derivative: df dx

(a) = lim x→a

f (x) − f (a) x − a

The denominator of the difference quotient goes to 0 as x approaches a, so in order for this limit to exist, the numerator must also go to 0 as x approaches a, that is

lim x→a (f (x) − f (a)) = 0.

Putting the constant term f (a) on the right hand side of the equation, we get that

lim x→a f (x) = f (a),

which is our way of saying in limit notation that f (x) is continuous at x = a. So if the derivative of f (x) exists at x = a, f (x) must be continuous at x = a as well. Thus, if f (x) is discontinuous at x = a, it is also non-differentiable at x = a.

(among the values of the function on that interval). For example, if we take f (x) = x^2 , we know that this function does not have a maximum value on the real line, but if we restrict to the closed interval [− 2 , 3], then it has a maximum value. We find this maximum value by finding all of the critical points of x^2 on this closed interval (so, x = 0), and all of the points of non-differentiability (in this case, only the endpoints x = −2 and x = 3). We then find the values of the function at these three points and compare them:

x f (x) − 2 4 0 0 3 9

The maximum of these three values of the function is 9, so x^2 restricted to [− 2 , 3] achieves its maximum at x = 3; it achieves its minimum at x = 0, at the critical point. What would have happened to the minimum of the function had f (x) = x^2 been restricted to [1, 3]?