Chapter 2: Problem 85
Determining Differentiability In Exercises \(85-88\) , find the derivatives from the left and from the right at \(x=1\) (if they exist). Is the function differentiable at \(x=1 ?\) $$f(x)=|x-1|$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The function \(f(x) = |x - 1|\) is not differentiable at \(x = 1\).
Step by step solution
01
Rewrite the absolute value function as a piecewise function
The absolute value function \(f(x) = |x - 1|\) can be written as a piecewise function as follows: \[f(x) = \begin{cases} x - 1 & \text{if } x \geq 1 \ 1 - x & \text{if } x < 1 \end{cases}\].
02
Find the derivative from the left at \(x = 1\)
To find the derivative of \(f(x)\) from the left at \(x = 1\), consider the function when \(x < 1\), which is \(f(x) = 1 - x\). The derivative of \(f(x)\) with respect to \(x\) would be \(-1\).
03
Find the derivative from the right at \(x = 1\)
The derivative from the right at \(x = 1\) can be found by considering the function when \(x \geq 1\), which is \(f(x) = x - 1\). The derivative of \(f(x)\) with respect to \(x\) would be 1.
04
Check if the function is differentiable at \(x = 1\)
Since the value of the derivative from the left at \(x = 1\) does not equal to the derivative from the right at \(x = 1\), the function is not differentiable at \(x = 1\).
Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!
-
Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
-
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
-
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
-
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.
Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91Ó°ÊÓ!
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Derivative
A derivative represents how a function changes as its input changes. For a given function, the derivative at a certain point provides the slope of the tangent line to the function at that point.
In simpler terms:
In simpler terms:
- It tells us how "steep" the function is at any specific point.
- A positive derivative means the function is increasing, while a negative one means it's decreasing.
Piecewise Function
A piecewise function is composed of multiple "pieces" or segments, each defined by a specific condition or range of input values.
Piecewise functions are useful for describing situations where a rule or effect changes based on different circumstances.
The piecewise function for the absolute value of \(x - 1\) is:\[ f(x) = \begin{cases} x - 1 & \text{if } x \geq 1 \ 1 - x & \text{if } x < 1 \end{cases}\]Here's what happens:
Piecewise functions are useful for describing situations where a rule or effect changes based on different circumstances.
The piecewise function for the absolute value of \(x - 1\) is:\[ f(x) = \begin{cases} x - 1 & \text{if } x \geq 1 \ 1 - x & \text{if } x < 1 \end{cases}\]Here's what happens:
- For \(x\) values greater than or equal to 1, the function behaves like \(x - 1\).
- For \(x\) values less than 1, it behaves like \(1 - x\).
Absolute value
The absolute value function, denoted by \(|x|\), measures the "magnitude" of a number without considering its sign. It transforms negative numbers into their positive counterparts and leaves positive numbers unchanged.
For a real number \(x\):
The absolute value function frequently appears in real-world applications, such as measuring distance."
For a real number \(x\):
- If \(x \geq 0\), then \(|x| = x\).
- If \(x < 0\), then \(|x| = -x\).
The absolute value function frequently appears in real-world applications, such as measuring distance."
Left-hand derivative
The left-hand derivative of a function at a given point considers only values of the function that are less than the point.
It is a measure of how the function behaves as it approaches the point from the left side.
To find the left-hand derivative at \(x = 1\) for the function \(f(x) = |x - 1|\), you examine the part of the piecewise function defined for \(x < 1\), which is \(1 - x\).
The derivative of \(1 - x\) is \(-1\).
In this scenario:
It is a measure of how the function behaves as it approaches the point from the left side.
To find the left-hand derivative at \(x = 1\) for the function \(f(x) = |x - 1|\), you examine the part of the piecewise function defined for \(x < 1\), which is \(1 - x\).
The derivative of \(1 - x\) is \(-1\).
In this scenario:
- If moving towards a specific point from the left results in a different slope compared to moving from the right, this typically indicates a discontinuity or corner point in the graph at that specific place.
Right-hand derivative
The right-hand derivative considers the values of a function that are greater than or equal to a given point. It indicates how the function is changing as it approaches the point from the right.
For our example, to determine the right-hand derivative at \(x = 1\), look at the segment where \(x \geq 1\), or \(x - 1\).
The derivative is simply 1.
If we compare the right-hand and left-hand derivatives calculated earlier:
In this case, they do not match, pointing out a lack of differentiability at \(x = 1\).
For our example, to determine the right-hand derivative at \(x = 1\), look at the segment where \(x \geq 1\), or \(x - 1\).
The derivative is simply 1.
If we compare the right-hand and left-hand derivatives calculated earlier:
- The right-hand derivative is 1, while the left-hand derivative is \(-1\).
In this case, they do not match, pointing out a lack of differentiability at \(x = 1\).