Sin(0) is not only equal to 0

Calculus Level 1

The function defined by f ( x ) = 2 x + 3 sin ( x ) 3 x + 2 sin ( x ) , x 0 f(x)=\frac{2x+3\sin(x)}{3x+2\sin(x)}\text{, }x \neq 0 has its discontinuity removed at x = 0 x=0 . Find the value of f ( 0 ) . f(0).


The answer is 1.

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3 solutions

U Z
Oct 26, 2014

L.H.L = R.H.L

f ( 0 ) = lim x 0 2 + 3 sin x x 3 + 2 sin x x f(0) = \lim_{x \to 0} \frac{ 2 +3 \dfrac{\sin x}{x}}{ 3 + 2\dfrac{\sin x}{x}}

f ( 0 ) = 1 f(0) = 1

The problem is stated incorrectly! The value that we are finding out here isn't f ( 0 ) f(0) but lim x 0 f ( x ) \displaystyle \lim_{x\to 0} f(x) . And even if the problem says that "its discontinuity removed at x=0", it isn't so and you cannot just use lim x 0 + f ( x ) = lim x 0 f ( x ) = f ( 0 ) \displaystyle \lim_{x\to 0^+}f(x)=\lim_{x\to 0^-}f(x)=f(0) because f ( 0 ) f(0) isn't defined! The function f ( x ) f(x) here cannot ever be continuous at x = 0 x=0 , you can use a graph plotter to verify that, although it's quite trivial!

Prasun Biswas - 6 years, 5 months ago
Andrew Williams
Jan 4, 2015

Very quickly, just note how that for small angles sin(x)~x. So f(x) for small angles (ie, very close to zero.) is ~5x/5x --> 1

Sophie Crane
Oct 31, 2014

Evaluate for x=0.001. It comes out very close to 1.

That's kinda cheating though. :P

Prasun Biswas - 6 years, 5 months ago

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