Discontinuous/Continuous Functions

  • Thread starter Thread starter happysmiles36
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Functions
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
4 replies · 2K views
happysmiles36
Messages
54
Reaction score
2

Homework Statement



Is the function continuous at x=1?

f(x) =
When x is less than 1:
[tex](x-1)^2sin(\frac{1}{x-1})[/tex]
When x is greater or equal to 1:
[tex]xsin(πx)[/tex]

Homework Equations


None

The Attempt at a Solution


The answer is yes, don't know how to show that, this isn't homework just studying for exams >.<.[tex] \lim_{x\rightarrow 1+} {xsin(πx)} = 0[/tex]
----------------------------------
[tex] \lim_{x\rightarrow 1-} {(x-1)^2sin(\frac{1}{x-1})}[/tex]

Here I used:
[tex] \lim_{x\rightarrow 0} {\frac{sin(x)}{x}} = 1[/tex]
But I don't think you can do this, so I don't know how else to solve this.

[tex] \lim_{x\rightarrow 1-} {(x-1)} * \lim_{x\rightarrow 0} {\frac{sin(\frac{1}{x-1})}{\frac {1}{x-1}}} = 0 * 1 = 0[/tex]

Help explaining how to do this question would be helpful.:)
 
Physics news on Phys.org
You can't do that, but there is a really simple trick. What are the maximum and minimum values you can have for sin(x)? Are they finite or infinite?
 
jz92wjaz said:
You can't do that, but there is a really simple trick. What are the maximum and minimum values you can have for sin(x)? Are they finite or infinite?
Sin(x) goes between 1 and -1 and it oscillates to infinity and negative infinity.

I ended up thinking that as the limit approaches 1 from the left side,
(x-1)^2 becomes 0 and sin(1/(x-1)) becomes sin(-infinity), so it will be 0 * a number between 1 and -1, and that results in a 0. Is this valid? because sin (-infinity) is undefined, so I don't know if this would be correct or is there a way to show this without the sin being undefined.
 
Last edited:
It's correct. When dealing with limits, a finite number multiplied by zero is still zero, even if you don't know exactly what the finite number is.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: happysmiles36
Thanks :)
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: jz92wjaz