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Limits Continuity and Differentiability question

2021 · 27 Jul · Shift 1 · Q47
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  5. /2021 · 27 Jul · Shift 1 · Q47

Limits Continuity and Differentiability question

2021 · 27 Jul · Shift 1 · Q47

JEE MainMathematicsLimits Continuity and DifferentiabilityNumerical+4 / −1
Let f:[0,3]→Rf:[0,3] \to Rf:[0,3]→R be defined by f(x)=min⁡{x−[x],1+[x]−x}f(x) = \min \{ x - [x],1 + [x] - x\}f(x)=min{x−[x],1+[x]−x} where [x] is the greatest integer less than or equal to x. Let P denote the set containing all x ∈\in∈[0, 3] where f i discontinuous, and Q denote the set containing all x ∈\in∈ (0, 3) where f is not differentiable. Then the sum of number of elements in P and Q is equal to ‾\underline{\hspace{2cm}}​.
Numerical answer
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Correct answer: 5

  1. Understand the function

Given

f(x)=min⁡{x−[x], 1+[x]−x},x∈[0,3]f(x)=\min\{x-[x],\,1+[x]-x\},\qquad x\in[0,3]f(x)=min{x−[x],1+[x]−x},x∈[0,3]

where [x][x][x] is the greatest integer function.

Let {x}=x−[x]\{x\}=x-[x]{x}=x−[x] be the fractional part of xxx. Then 1+[x]−x=1−(x−[x])=1−{x}.1+[x]-x=1-(x-[x])=1-\{x\}.1+[x]−x=1−(x−[x])=1−{x}. So the function becomes f(x)=min⁡{{x},1−{x}}.f(x)=\min\{\{x\},1-\{x\}\}.f(x)=min{{x},1−{x}}.

Thus on each interval [n,n+1)[n,n+1)[n,n+1), f(x)f(x)f(x) depends only on the fractional part t={x}∈[0,1)t=\{x\}\in[0,1)t={x}∈[0,1): f(x)=min⁡{t,1−t}.f(x)=\min\{t,1-t\}.f(x)=min{t,1−t}.


  1. Write the function piecewise on each unit interval

For t∈[0,1)t\in[0,1)t∈[0,1):

  • if 0≤t≤120\le t\le \tfrac120≤t≤21​, then t≤1−tt\le 1-tt≤1−t, so f(x)=t;f(x)=t;f(x)=t;
  • if 12≤t<1\tfrac12\le t<121​≤t<1, then 1−t≤t1-t\le t1−t≤t, so f(x)=1−t.f(x)=1-t.f(x)=1−t.

Hence on each interval [n,n+1)[n,n+1)[n,n+1),

f(x)={x−n,n≤x≤n+12,n+1−x,n+12≤x<n+1.f(x)= \begin{cases} x-n, & n\le x\le n+\tfrac12,\\[4pt] n+1-x, & n+\tfrac12\le x<n+1. \end{cases}f(x)={x−n,n+1−x,​n≤x≤n+21​,n+21​≤x<n+1.​

for n=0,1,2n=0,1,2n=0,1,2.


  1. Find points of discontinuity: set PPP

Possible trouble points are integers, because the fractional part resets there.

At x=0x=0x=0

f(0)=min⁡{0,1}=0.f(0)=\min\{0,1\}=0.f(0)=min{0,1}=0. Right-hand limit at 000 is also 000, so fff is continuous at 000.

At x=1x=1x=1

From the left, as x→1−x\to1^-x→1−, {x}→1−\{x\}\to1^-{x}→1−, so f(x)=min⁡{{x},1−{x}}→0.f(x)=\min\{\{x\},1-\{x\}\}\to0.f(x)=min{{x},1−{x}}→0. At x=1x=1x=1, {1}=0\{1\}=0{1}=0, hence f(1)=0.f(1)=0.f(1)=0. From the right, again values are near 000. So continuous at 111.

Similarly, at x=2x=2x=2 and x=3x=3x=3, f(2)=0,f(3)=0,f(2)=0,\quad f(3)=0,f(2)=0,f(3)=0, and the one-sided/two-sided limits match.

Within each open interval between consecutive integers, the function is piecewise linear and continuous.

Therefore, P=∅P=\varnothingP=∅ and number of elements in PPP is ∣P∣=0.|P|=0.∣P∣=0.


  1. Find points where fff is not differentiable: set QQQ

Inside each interval, non-differentiability can occur where the two branches meet, i.e. at x=n+12.x=n+\tfrac12.x=n+21​. These points in (0,3)(0,3)(0,3) are 12, 32, 52.\tfrac12,\ \tfrac32,\ \tfrac52.21​, 23​, 25​.

Check derivative at such a point:

  • Left derivative is +1+1+1 (from branch x−nx-nx−n),
  • Right derivative is −1-1−1 (from branch n+1−xn+1-xn+1−x).

Since left and right derivatives are unequal, fff is not differentiable at each of these three points.

Now check integers inside (0,3)(0,3)(0,3), namely x=1,2x=1,2x=1,2.

Near x=1x=1x=1:

  • for x<1x<1x<1, f(x)=1−xf(x)=1-xf(x)=1−x close to 111, so left derivative is −1-1−1;
  • for x>1x>1x>1, f(x)=x−1f(x)=x-1f(x)=x−1 close to 111, so right derivative is +1+1+1.

Hence not differentiable at x=1x=1x=1.

Similarly at x=2x=2x=2:

  • left derivative =−1=-1=−1,
  • right derivative =+1=+1=+1, so not differentiable at x=2x=2x=2.

Thus Q={12,1,32,2,52}Q=\left\{\tfrac12,1,\tfrac32,2,\tfrac52\right\}Q={21​,1,23​,2,25​} and ∣Q∣=5.|Q|=5.∣Q∣=5.


  1. Required sum

∣P∣+∣Q∣=0+5=5.|P|+|Q|=0+5=5.∣P∣+∣Q∣=0+5=5.

Therefore, the required integer is 5.\boxed{5}.5​.

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