Absolutely true

Calculus Level 4

The function f : a , b R f:\ \langle a, b\rangle \to \mathbb R is both continuous and differentiable on its domain.

The absolute value of f f , defined as x f ( x ) , x \mapsto |f(x)|, is also continuous and differentiable on a , b \langle a,b\rangle .

Which of the following is true for the function f f ? Choose the strongest true statement.

if f ( x ) = 0 f(x) = 0 then f ( x ) = 0 f(x) = 0 on all of a , b \langle a,b\rangle if f ( x ) = 0 f(x) = 0 there exists c < x < d c < x < d such that f = 0 f = 0 on c , d \langle c,d\rangle f ( x ) f(x) has no zeroes on a , b \langle a,b\rangle if f ( x ) = 0 f(x) = 0 then f ( x ) = 0 f'(x) = 0

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1 solution

Arjen Vreugdenhil
Aug 16, 2017

If f ( x ) = 0 f(x) = 0 then f ( x ) = 0 f'(x) = 0 .

Suppose that f ( x ) = k > 0 f'(x) = k > 0 . By definition, for any 0 < ϵ < k 0 < \epsilon < k there exists c < x < d c < x < d such that for any ξ c , d \xi \in \langle c,d\rangle , k ϵ < f ( ξ ) / ( ξ x ) < k + ϵ k - \epsilon < f(\xi)/(\xi-x) < k + \epsilon .

But then for c < ξ < x c < \xi < x we have f ( ξ ) f(\xi) is negative and for x < ξ < d x < \xi < d , f ( ξ ) f(\xi) is positive. Now consider the function g ( x ) = f ( x ) g(x) = |f(x)| on that same interval. Then for c < ξ < x c < \xi < x , we find that g ( ξ ) / ( ξ x ) = f ( ξ ) / ( ξ x ) g(\xi)/(\xi-x) = -f(\xi)/(\xi-x) lies between k ϵ -k - \epsilon and k + ϵ -k + \epsilon , while for x < ξ < d x < \xi < d , g ( ξ ) / ( ξ x ) = f ( ξ ) / ( ξ x ) g(\xi)/(\xi -x) = f(\xi)/(\xi-x) lies between k ϵ k - \epsilon and k + ϵ k + \epsilon . Thus lim ξ x g ( ξ ) ξ x = k lim ξ x g ( ξ ) ξ x = + k , \lim_{\xi \uparrow x} \frac{g(\xi)}{\xi-x} = -k\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \lim_{\xi \downarrow x} \frac{g(\xi)}{\xi-x} = +k, showing that the derivative g ( x ) g'(x) is not defined. A similar conclusion follows for k < 0 k < 0 . Therefore, in order for the derivative g ( x ) g'(x) to be defined, we must have f ( x ) = k = 0 f'(x) = k = 0 .

To prove the other three statements wrong, consider the function f ( x ) = x 3 f(x) = x^3 . It has a zero at x = 0 x = 0 but nowhere else; the absolute value function g ( x ) = x 3 g(x) = |x^3| has derivative g ( x ) = ± 3 x 2 g'(x) = \pm 3x^2 (negative sign if x < 0 x < 0 ).

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