Define We will show that each of the functions f(x) has continuous derivatives of all orders, for all x. We also show that none of them is analytic near 0; that is, none of them equals a power series of the form E a,x" in an interval about 0. Theorem 1. (a) The function £,(x) is continuous for all x (b) Furthermore, x) exists for all x and satis~ fies the equation £A(x) = -mEg yy (x) + 284500) Proof. (a) The general theorem about composites of continuous functions shows that £,(x) is continuous when x #0. To prove continuity at x = 0, we must show that 2 e7l/x Lim x0 x! The substitution w= 1/x? simplifies the calculation. We haveThis limit is zero because e” approaches infinity faster than any power of u, as yp — », (b) We check differentiability. If x # 0, we calculate directly: mE (X) + 2E, m3 (%) © To show the derivative exists at x= 0, we apply the defini- tion of the derivative: £,(0+h) ~ £,(0) £4(0) = lim m hoo -1/n? ayn? = lim fe fh =o = lim SS h+0 hyo on™ This limit is zero, by part (a). Therefore, the derivative exists at x= 0 and equals 0. Thus the formula AG) = -mE 4) G0) + 2f 43 OX) holds when x = 0. Theorem 2. The function £y(*) has continuous deriva- tives of all orders, for all x, but £ (x) does not equal a power series £ a,x" on any interval about 0. Proof. We know that each function £,(x) is differen- tiable, for all x. The equationERG) = mE) (x) + 2£ 45 (x) shows us that £1 (x) is differentiable, for each x. This is the same as saying that derivative £"(x) exists for all x In general, we proceed by induction. Suppose we are given that the n&® derivative of each function £, (x) exists, for all x. Then the preceding equation shows that the nth derivative of the function f%(x) also exists, for all x. This is the same as saying that the (n+1)S© derivative of £,, (x) exists. It follows that the n®® derivative of f,(x) exists, for all x andall n. And of course it is continuous because the (nt1)S£ derivative exists. Now we suppose f(x) = = ax” on some non-trivial interval about x = 0, and derive a contradiction. If £,(x) equals this power series, then the coefficients a, must satis- fy the equations {7 (0) n al for all’ n. We know that £,(x) vanishes when x= 0. Using the equation EN(x) = -mE 4 (x) + 26, m+l m+3 (x) repeatedly, we see that all the derivatives of £,(x) also vanish at x= 0. Therefore a,=0 for all n, so £,(x)is identically zero in some interval about x = 0. But this is not true; indeed the function £,(x) vanishes only for x= 0.