Calculus: Early Transcendentals 8th Edition

Published by Cengage Learning
ISBN 10: 1285741552
ISBN 13: 978-1-28574-155-0

Chapter 2 - Section 2.8 - The Derivative as a Function - 2.8 Exercises - Page 164: 60

Answer

$f$ is not differentiable for integers, but $f$ is differentiable for non-integers. $f'(x) = 0~~$ if $x$ is a non-integer. We can see a sketch of $f'(x)$ below.

Work Step by Step

Suppose $b$ is not an integer. Let $\lfloor b \rfloor = c$ Then: $f'(b) = \lim\limits_{h \to 0}\frac{f(b+h)-f(b)}{h}$ $f'(b) = \lim\limits_{h \to 0}\frac{\lfloor b+h \rfloor-\lfloor b \rfloor}{h}$ $f'(b) = \frac{c-c}{h}$ $f'(b) = \frac{0}{h}$ $f'(b) = 0$ $f'(x)$ exists for non-integers so $f$ is differentiable for non-integers. Suppose $b$ is an integer. $f(b) = \lfloor b \rfloor = b$ $\lim\limits_{x \to b^-}f(x) = \lim\limits_{x \to b^-}\lfloor x \rfloor = b-1$ $\lim\limits_{x \to b^-}f(x) \neq f(b),~~$ so $f$ is not continuous at $b$ Since $f$ is not continuous at $b$, $f$ is not differentiable at $b$. Therefore, $f$ is not differentiable for integers. $f$ is not differentiable for integers, but $f$ is differentiable for non-integers. $f'(x) = 0~~$ if $x$ is a non-integer. We can see a sketch of $f'(x)$ below.
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