How he concluded that?Spivak's calculus

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around finding all continuous functions that satisfy the equation involving an integral and a squared function, as presented in Spivak's calculus. Participants are particularly interested in the reasoning behind the solution's presentation rather than the solution itself.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are questioning the implications of differentiability of the function \( f^2 \) and its relation to \( f(x) \neq 0 \). There is confusion about the interpretation of the statement regarding differentiability and the conditions under which it holds.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided insights into the nature of the function \( f(x) = 0 \) as a valid solution, while others are exploring the distinction between trivial and non-trivial solutions. There is an ongoing examination of the assumptions made in the original problem statement.

Contextual Notes

Participants are grappling with the definitions and implications of differentiability in the context of the problem, as well as the notation used in the equation. The discussion reflects a need for clarity on these points without reaching a definitive conclusion.

Andrax
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Homework Statement


So the question is : Find all continious functions such that ##\displaystyle \int_{0}^{x} f(t) \, \mathrm{d}t##= ((f(x)^2)+C , what interests me is the way the solutions book presented the solution , not the solution itself .
in the solution , it starts with this , clrealy f^2 is differentiable at every point ( it's derivative at x is f(x) ) So **f is differentiable at x whenever **f(x)=/=0****? I have no idea how that can be concluded , this is from Spivak's calculus , if you diffrentiate by the ftc it's clearly f(x)=f(x)f'(x)
but he said that before even giving this formula, the differentiablity of f^2 doesn't have a relation with f(x)=/=0
EDIT : I know that f(x)=f(x)f'(x) What i don't inderstand is this 'clrealy f^2 is differentiable at every point ( it's derivative is f) So f(x)=/=0" why f(x) mustn't equal 0?

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Homework Statement

 
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f(x)=0 is also a function, and solution of the problem. But there is also an other "non-trivial" solution.

ehild
 
ehild said:
f(x)=0 is also a function, and solution of the problem. But there is also an other "non-trivial" solution.

ehild

so when he wrotes whenever f(x)=/=0 he mean't the function f(x)=0 not the points where f(x)=0?it makes sense now
 
Andrax said:
so when he wrotes whenever f(x)=/=0 he mean't the function f(x)=0 not the points where f(x)=0?it makes sense now

Yes, he wants to find the solution not identically zero.

ehild
 
Andrax said:

Homework Statement


So the question is : Find all continious functions such that ##\displaystyle \int_{0}^{x} f(t) \, \mathrm{d}t##= ((f(x)^2)+C ,

Does that mean ##(f(x))^2## or ##f(x^2)##? I'm guessing the first.

what interests me is the way the solutions book presented the solution , not the solution itself .
in the solution , it starts with this , clrealy f^2 is differentiable at every point ( it's derivative at x is f(x) ) So **f is differentiable at x whenever **f(x)=/=0****? I have no idea how that can be concluded , this is from Spivak's calculus , if you diffrentiate by the ftc it's clearly f(x)=f(x)f'(x)
but he said that before even giving this formula, the differentiablity of f^2 doesn't have a relation with f(x)=/=0
EDIT : I know that f(x)=f(x)f'(x)

But ##f(x)f'(x)## is not the derivative of ##f^2(x)##. Am I missing something here?
 

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