Is the function F(x) = x^2*cos(pi/x) differentiable at x=0?

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Homework Statement


F(x)=
x^2*{Cos(Pi/x)} when x!=0 (Not equal to)[/B]
0 when x=0
Is the function differentiable at x=0 ??

P.S.- Cos(pi/x) is under mod (Absolute value)

2. Homework Equations - Basic limit formulas.

The Attempt at a Solution


I tried to differentiate it wrt to x but I am getting the function to be non differentiable
However with first principle differentiation I get it as differentiable. Where am I going wrong? Any help appreciated.
 
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I am confused as to what you want to show. To show "f is differentiable at x= 0" you want to show that [itex]\lim_{h\to 0} \frac{f(h)- f(0)}{h}[/itex] exits. That is not necessarily dependent on the derivative of f for x not 0.
 
you should just try to find the derivative at x=0 by applying the definition of derivative as a limit of a ratio. So you basically looking if the limit [itex]\lim\limits_{x \to 0}xcos(\pi/x)[/itex] exists.

I think what confuses you is that the derivative which in the interval [itex](-\infty,0)+(0,\infty)[/itex] is equal to[itex]2xcos(\pi/x)+sin(\pi/x)[/itex] cannot be defined for x=0, but that's the point we ve excluded 0 in order to be able to do these calculations for the derivative wrt x. For x=0 you just have to follow the definition of derivative as a limit of the ratio.
 
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Rishavutkarsh said:

Homework Statement


F(x)=
x^2*{Cos(Pi/x)} when x!=0 (Not equal to)[/B]
0 when x=0
Is the function differentiable at x=0 ??

P.S.- Cos(pi/x) is under mod (Absolute value)

2. Homework Equations - Basic limit formulas.

The Attempt at a Solution


I tried to differentiate it wrt to x but I am getting the function to be non differentiable
However with first principle differentiation I get it as differentiable. Where am I going wrong? Any help appreciated.

The limit [tex] \lim_{x \to 0} f'(x)[/tex] does not exist. However the limit [tex] f'(0) = \lim_{x \to 0} \frac{f(x)}{x}[/tex] does exist. Thus [itex]f[/itex] is differentiable at 0 but [itex]f'[/itex] is not continuous at 0.
 
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Delta² said:
you should just try to find the derivative at x=0 by applying the definition of derivative as a limit of a ratio. So you basically looking if the limit [itex]\lim\limits_{x \to 0}xcos(\pi/x)[/itex] exists.

I think what confuses you is that the derivative which in the interval [itex](-\infty,0)+(0,\infty)[/itex] is equal to[itex]2xcos(\pi/x)+sin(\pi/x)[/itex] cannot be defined for x=0, but that's the point we ve excluded 0 in order to be able to do these calculations for the derivative wrt x. For x=0 you just have to follow the definition of derivative as a limit of the ratio.

That was the exact point of confusion, I think I got it now though thanks.

pasmith said:
The limit [tex] \lim_{x \to 0} f'(x)[/tex] does not exist. However the limit [tex] f'(0) = \lim_{x \to 0} \frac{f(x)}{x}[/tex] does exist. Thus [itex]f[/itex] is differentiable at 0 but [itex]f'[/itex] is not continuous at 0.

This was the exact thing I needed to know, thanks.