Differentiability at a piecewise junction point
Consider the piecewise function
Determine whether is differentiable at . To justify your answer, compute the left-hand derivative and the right-hand derivative separately, then state your conclusion about differentiability at .
Hint
Since , use the difference quotient for small negative (where ) and for small positive (where ), then take the respective one-sided limits and compare them.
Step-by-step solution
First note . For , , so the left-hand difference quotient is . Taking the limit as gives , using the well-known limit .
For , , so the right-hand difference quotient is , giving . Since the left-hand and right-hand derivative limits both equal , the two-sided limit exists and equals . Therefore is differentiable at , with — the pieces join smoothly with matching slopes, so there is no corner there.
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