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Limits Continuity and Differentiability question

2021 · 16 Mar · Shift 1 · Q31
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  5. /2021 · 16 Mar · Shift 1 · Q31

Limits Continuity and Differentiability question

2021 · 16 Mar · Shift 1 · Q31

JEE MainMathematicsLimits Continuity and DifferentiabilityMCQ+4 / −1
Let the functions f : R →\to→ R and g : R →\to→ R be defined as : f(x)={x+2,x<0x2,x≥0f(x) = \left\{ {\begin{matrix} {x + 2,} & {x \lt 0} \\ {{x^2},} & {x \ge 0} \\ \end{matrix} } \right.f(x)={x+2,x2,​x<0x≥0​ and g(x)={x3,x<13x−2,x≥1g(x) = \left\{ {\begin{matrix} {{x^3},} & {x \lt 1} \\ {3x - 2,} & {x \ge 1} \\ \end{matrix} } \right.g(x)={x3,3x−2,​x<1x≥1​ Then, the number of points in R where (fog) (x) is NOT differentiable is equal to :
  1. A
    0
  2. B
    3
  3. C
    1
  4. D
    2
View written solutionFree

Correct answer: C

  1. We need to study differentiability of (f∘g)(x)=f(g(x)).(f\circ g)(x)=f(g(x)).(f∘g)(x)=f(g(x)).

Given f(t)={t+2,t<0t2,t≥0f(t)=\begin{cases} t+2, & t<0 \\ t^2, & t\ge 0 \end{cases}f(t)={t+2,t2,​t<0t≥0​ and g(x)={x3,x<13x−2,x≥1.g(x)=\begin{cases} x^3, & x<1 \\ 3x-2, & x\ge 1. \end{cases}g(x)={x3,3x−2,​x<1x≥1.​

The composition can fail to be differentiable at points where:

  1. ggg is not differentiable,
  2. g(x)g(x)g(x) hits the switching point of fff, i.e. g(x)=0g(x)=0g(x)=0.

So we check both.


  1. First, check differentiability of ggg.

For x<1x<1x<1, g(x)=x3g(x)=x^3g(x)=x3. For x≥1x\ge 1x≥1, g(x)=3x−2g(x)=3x-2g(x)=3x−2.

At x=1x=1x=1: g(1−)=13=1,g(1)=3(1)−2=1.g(1^-)=1^3=1, \qquad g(1)=3(1)-2=1.g(1−)=13=1,g(1)=3(1)−2=1. So ggg is continuous at x=1x=1x=1.

Now derivatives: g−′(1)=3x2∣x=1=3,g+′(1)=3.g'_-(1)=3x^2\big|_{x=1}=3, \qquad g'_+(1)=3.g−′​(1)=3x2​x=1​=3,g+′​(1)=3. Hence ggg is differentiable at x=1x=1x=1.

Therefore, ggg is differentiable for all x∈Rx\in\mathbb Rx∈R.


  1. Now check where fff is differentiable.

For t<0t<0t<0, f(t)=t+2f(t)=t+2f(t)=t+2. For t≥0t\ge 0t≥0, f(t)=t2f(t)=t^2f(t)=t2.

Possible issue is at t=0t=0t=0.

Continuity at t=0t=0t=0: lim⁡t→0−f(t)=lim⁡t→0−(t+2)=2,\lim_{t\to 0^-} f(t)=\lim_{t\to 0^-}(t+2)=2,limt→0−​f(t)=limt→0−​(t+2)=2, f(0)=02=0.f(0)=0^2=0.f(0)=02=0. Since 2≠02\ne 02=0, fff is not continuous at t=0t=0t=0, hence not differentiable at t=0t=0t=0.

For all t≠0t\ne 0t=0, fff is differentiable.

So (f∘g)(x)(f\circ g)(x)(f∘g)(x) can only fail to be differentiable when g(x)=0.g(x)=0.g(x)=0.


  1. Solve g(x)=0g(x)=0g(x)=0.

Case 1: x<1x<1x<1. Then g(x)=x3g(x)=x^3g(x)=x3, so x3=0  ⟹  x=0.x^3=0 \implies x=0.x3=0⟹x=0. Since 0<10<10<1, this is valid.

Case 2: x≥1x\ge 1x≥1. Then g(x)=3x−2g(x)=3x-2g(x)=3x−2, so 3x−2=0  ⟹  x=23.3x-2=0 \implies x=\frac23.3x−2=0⟹x=32​. But 23<1\frac23<132​<1, so this is invalid for this branch.

Thus the only point where g(x)=0g(x)=0g(x)=0 is x=0.x=0.x=0.


  1. Verify non-differentiability at x=0x=0x=0 by writing the composition explicitly.

First determine sign of g(x)g(x)g(x) near x=0x=0x=0. For xxx near 000 (and x<1x<1x<1), g(x)=x3.g(x)=x^3.g(x)=x3. So:

  • if x<0x<0x<0, then g(x)<0g(x)<0g(x)<0, hence f(g(x))=g(x)+2=x3+2f(g(x))=g(x)+2=x^3+2f(g(x))=g(x)+2=x3+2,
  • if x≥0x\ge 0x≥0 and near 000, then g(x)≥0g(x)\ge 0g(x)≥0, hence f(g(x))=(g(x))2=x6f(g(x))=(g(x))^2=x^6f(g(x))=(g(x))2=x6.

Therefore near x=0x=0x=0, (f∘g)(x)={x3+2,x<0,x6,x≥0.(f\circ g)(x)=\begin{cases} x^3+2, & x<0, \\ x^6, & x\ge 0. \end{cases}(f∘g)(x)={x3+2,x6,​x<0,x≥0.​

At x=0x=0x=0, lim⁡x→0−(f∘g)(x)=2,(f∘g)(0)=0.\lim_{x\to 0^-}(f\circ g)(x)=2, \qquad (f\circ g)(0)=0.limx→0−​(f∘g)(x)=2,(f∘g)(0)=0. So it is discontinuous at x=0x=0x=0, hence not differentiable there.


  1. Check if there are any other problematic points.
  • At x=1x=1x=1, ggg is differentiable and g(1)=1≠0g(1)=1\ne 0g(1)=1=0, and fff is differentiable at 111. So (f∘g)(f\circ g)(f∘g) is differentiable at x=1x=1x=1.
  • For all other xxx, both ggg and fff at g(x)g(x)g(x) are differentiable.

Hence there is exactly one point where (f∘g)(x)(f\circ g)(x)(f∘g)(x) is not differentiable.


  1. Final answer: 1\boxed{1}1​ So the correct option is C.
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