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Differentiability at a piecewise junction point

Consider the piecewise function f(x)={sin⁡(x)x≤0xx>0f(x) = \begin{cases} \sin(x) & x \le 0 \\ x & x > 0 \end{cases}

Determine whether f(x)f(x) is differentiable at x=0x = 0. To justify your answer, compute the left-hand derivative lim⁡h→0−f(0+h)−f(0)h\lim_{h \to 0^-} \dfrac{f(0+h) - f(0)}{h} and the right-hand derivative lim⁡h→0+f(0+h)−f(0)h\lim_{h \to 0^+} \dfrac{f(0+h) - f(0)}{h} separately, then state your conclusion about differentiability at x=0x=0.

Differentiability at a piecewise junction point graph
Hint

Since f(0)=sin⁡(0)=0f(0) = \sin(0) = 0, use the difference quotient f(h)−f(0)h\frac{f(h)-f(0)}{h} for small negative hh (where f(h)=sin⁡hf(h)=\sin h) and for small positive hh (where f(h)=hf(h) = h), then take the respective one-sided limits and compare them.

Step-by-step solution

First note f(0)=sin⁡(0)=0f(0) = \sin(0) = 0. For h<0h < 0, f(h)=sin⁡(h)f(h) = \sin(h), so the left-hand difference quotient is sin⁡(h)−0h=sin⁡hh\frac{\sin(h) - 0}{h} = \frac{\sin h}{h}. Taking the limit as h→0−h \to 0^- gives lim⁡h→0−sin⁡hh=1\lim_{h\to 0^-} \frac{\sin h}{h} = 1, using the well-known limit lim⁡h→0sin⁡hh=1\lim_{h\to 0}\frac{\sin h}{h}=1.

For h>0h > 0, f(h)=hf(h) = h, so the right-hand difference quotient is h−0h=1\frac{h - 0}{h} = 1, giving lim⁡h→0+1=1\lim_{h\to 0^+} 1 = 1. Since the left-hand and right-hand derivative limits both equal 11, the two-sided limit lim⁡h→0f(h)−f(0)h\lim_{h\to 0} \frac{f(h)-f(0)}{h} exists and equals 11. Therefore ff is differentiable at x=0x=0, with f′(0)=1f'(0) = 1 — the pieces join smoothly with matching slopes, so there is no corner there.

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