Extend the displayed function by . Its difference quotient at zero is , which tends to zero. Away from zero its derivative is . At this derivative equals , whereas at it equals . Thus differentiability implies continuity of the function but does not imply continuity of its derivative.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2003 ia Paper 1 3B Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
A real function is differentiable at an interior point when the finite limitexists, with restricted so lies in its domain. In quantified form, for every there is such that implies that the difference quotient differs from by less than .
To prove differentiability implies continuity, the convergent difference quotient is bounded by for sufficiently small nonzero . Thus . This is exactly continuity at .
At zero, the particular function has difference quotient . The bound and the squeeze theorem giveFor , the product rule and chain rule giveAt this equals , although and . At it equals . Hence the derivative has no limit at zero and is not continuous there. This demonstrates that differentiability does not imply continuity of the derivative, even though the function itself is continuous.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2004 ia Paper 3 9C i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2005 ib Paper 3 3B ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
On the nonzero axis the function equals one, whereas its assigned value at the origin is zero. Therefore does not tend to as . It is not a continuous function there, and differentiability implies continuity shows
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2005 ib Paper 3 3B Solution 2026-10-14
A function is a differentiable function at if there is a linear map withThe map is its derivative; equivalently for fixed constants. Since every such linear map is bounded, . This proves differentiability implies continuity, not merely continuity along each coordinate axis.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2008 ia Paper 1 11D a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
By differentiability implies continuity, . Add and subtract in the difference quotient:The two quotient limits exist by the given differentiability. Taking the limit and using continuity yields the product rule:Thus the product is differentiable at the specified point; differentiability elsewhere is not needed.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2011 ia Paper 1 11E i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
At zero, , so the function is continuous. At a nonzero , approach along rational and irrational sequences; density of the rational numbers and density of the irrational numbers give limiting values and , which are different. Thus the continuity set is .
At zero, the difference quotient is one for rational nonzero increments and minus one for irrational increments, so the derivative does not exist. Elsewhere differentiability implies continuity, and continuity already fails. Thus the differentiability set is .