MA 403 Real Analysis

Exercise Set 5

(1) Prove the following Cauchy Criterion for Limits of Functions: Let D ⊆ R and c ∈ R
be such that (c − r, c) and (c, c + r) are contained in D for some r > 0, and consider
f : D → R. Then limx→c f (x) exists if and only if for every  > 0, there is δ > 0
such that: x, y ∈ D, 0 < |x − c| < δ and 0 < |y − c| < δ =⇒ |f (x) − f (y)| < .
(2) Let f : (a, b) → R be a monotonically increasing function. Show that
(i) limx→b− f (x) exists if and only if f is bounded above; in this case, we have
lim f (x) = sup{f (x) : x ∈ (a, b)}. If f is not bounded above, then f (x) → ∞
x→b−
as x → b− .
(ii) limx→a+ f (x) exists if and only if f is bounded below; in this case, we have
lim f (x) = inf{f (x) : x ∈ (a, b)}. If f is not bounded below, then f (x) → −∞
x→a+
as x → a+ .
Here a ∈ R or a = −∞, and b ∈ R or b = ∞.
(3) Let I be an interval and f : I → R be a function that is monotonic on I. If f has
the IVP on I, then f is continuous on I. (Hint: Use Exercise 2.)
(4) Let f : (a, b) → R be a function such that
|f (x + h) − f (x)| ≤ C|h|r for all x, x + h ∈ (a, b),
where C is a constant and r ∈ Q with r > 1. Show that f is differentiable on (a, b)
and compute f 0 (x) for x ∈ (a, b).
(5) If f : (a, b) → R is differentiable at c ∈ (a, b), then show that
f (c + h) − f (c − h)
lim
h→0+ 2h
0
exists and equals f (c). Is the converse true?
(6) Let f : (0, ∞) → R satisfy f (xy) = f (x) + f (y) for all x, y ∈ (0, ∞). If f is
differentiable at 1, show that f is differentiable at every c ∈ (0, ∞) and f 0 (c) =
f 0 (1)/c. In fact, show that f is infinitely differentiable. If f 0 (1) = 2, find f (n) (3).
(7) Let f : R → R satisfy f (x + y) = f (x)f (y) for all x, y ∈ R. If f is differentiable at
0, then show that f is differentiable at every c ∈ R and f 0 (c) = f 0 (0)f (c). In fact,
show that f is infinitely differentiable. If f 0 (0) = 2, find f (n) (1) for n ∈ N, in terms
of f (1).
(8) Let f, g : R → R satisfy f (x + y) = f (x)g(y) + g(x)f (y) and g(x + y) = g(x)g(y) −
f (x)f (y) for all x, y ∈ R. If f and g are differentiable at 0, then show that f and
g are differentiable at every c ∈ R, and we have f 0 (c) = g 0 (0)f (c) + f 0 (0)g(c) and
g 0 (c) = g 0 (0)g(c) − f 0 (0)f (c). In fact, show that f and g are infinitely differentiable.
(9) Suppose f, g : R → R satisfy f (x − y) = f (x)g(y) − g(x)f (y) and g(x − y) =
g(x)g(y) + f (x)f (y) for all x, y ∈ R. If f+0 (0) exists, then show that f and g are
differentiable at every c ∈ R, and f 0 (c) = f 0 (0)g(c) and g 0 (c) = −f 0 (0)f (c). In fact,
show that f and g are infinitely differentiable. If f 0 (0) = 2, find f (n) (1) and g (n) (1)
in terms of f (1) and g(1). (Hint: Prove that f is an odd function, g is an even
function, f and g are differentiable at 0 and g 0 (0) = 0. Use Exercise 8.)
(10) Find values of the constants a, b and c for which the graphs of the two functions
f (x) = x2 + ax + b and g(x) = x3 − c, x ∈ R, intersect at the point (1, 2) and have
the same tangent there.
1
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xn

if x ≥ 0,
(11) Given n ∈ N, let fn : R → R be defined by fn (x) = Show that
−xn if x < 0.
(n−1) (n)
fn is (n − 1)-times differentiable on R, fn is continuous on R, but fn (0) does
not exist.
(12) Let P1 = (x1 , y1 ) and P2 = (x2 , y2 ) be two points on the curve y = ax2 + bx + c. If
P3 = (x3 , y3 ) lies on the arc P1 P2 and the tangent to the curve at P3 is parallel to
the chord P1 P2 , show that x3 = (x1 + x2 )/2.
(13) Show that the cubic 2x3 + 3x2 + 6x + 10 has exactly one real root.
(14) Let n ∈ N and f : [a, b] → R be such that f (n−1) is continuous [a, b] and f (n) exists
in (a, b). If f vanishes at n + 1 distinct points in [a, b], then show that f (n) vanishes
at least once in (a, b).
(15) Let f : [−1/2, 1/2] → R be given by
 √
2x − x2 if 0 ≤ x ≤ 1/2,
f (x) = √
−2x − x2 if −1/2 ≤ x ≤ 0.

Show that f (1/2) = f (−1/2) but f 0 (x) 6= 0 for all x with 0 < |x| < 1/2. Does this
contradict Rolle’s Theorem? Justify your answer.
(16) Let f : [a, b] → R be continuous on [a, b] and differentiable on (a, b). If f (a) < f (b),
then show that f 0 (c) > 0 for some c ∈ (a, b).
(17) Let a > 0 and f : [−a, a] → R be continuous. Suppose f 0 (x) exists and f 0 (x) ≤ 1
for all x ∈ (−a, a). If f (a) = a and f (−a) = −a, then show that f (x) = x for every
x ∈ (−a, a).
(18) In each of the following cases, find a function f which satisfies all the given condi-
tions, or else show that no such function exists.
(i) f 00 (x) > 0 for all x ∈ R, f 0 (0) = 1, f 0 (1) = 1,
(ii) f 00 (x) > 0 for all x ∈ R, f 0 (0) = 1, f 0 (1) = 2,
(iii) f 00 (x) ≥ 0 for all x ∈ R, f 0 (0) = 1, f (x) ≤ 100 for all x > 0,
(iv) f 00 (x) > 0 for all x ∈ R, f 0 (0) = 1, f (x) ≤ 1 for all x < 0.
(19) Let f : [a, b] → R be continuous on [a, b] and differentiable on (a, b). Suppose
f (a) = a and f (b) = b. Show that there is c ∈ (a, b) such that f 0 (c) = 1. Further,
show that there are distinct c1 , c2 ∈ (a, b) such that f 0 (c1 ) + f 0 (c2 ) = 2. More
generally, show that for every n ∈ N, there are n distinct points c1 , . . . , cn ∈ (a, b)
such that f 0 (c1 ) + · · · + f 0 (cn ) = n.
(20) Let a function f : [a, b] → R be continuous and its second derivative f 00 exist
everywhere on the open interval (a, b). Suppose the line segment joining (a, f (a))
and (b, f (b)) intersects the graph of f at a third point (c, f (c)), where a < c < b.
Prove that f 00 (t) = 0 for some t ∈ (a, b).
(21) Find the nth Taylor polynomial of f around a, that is,

f (n) (a)
Pn (x) = f (a) + f 0 (a)(x − a) + · · · + (x − a)n for x ∈ R,
n!
1 1 x
when a = 0 and f (x) equals: (i) , (ii) , (iii) .
1−x 1+x 1 + x2
(22) Let I be an interval and f : I → R be continuous on I and differentiable at every
interior point of I. If there is a constant α such that |f 0 (x)| ≤ α for all interior points
x of I, then show that f is uniformly continuous on I. Is the converse true? In other
words, is it true that if f : I → R is uniformly continuous on I and differentiable
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at every interior point of I, then there is a constant α such that |f 0 (x)| ≤ α for all
interior points x of I?
(23) Let f : [a, b] → R be such that f 0 is continuous on [a, b] and f 00 exists on (a, b).
Given any ξ ∈ [a, b], show that there is c ∈ (a, b) such that
f (b) − f (a) f 00 (c)
f (ξ) − f (a) = (ξ − a) + (ξ − a)(ξ − b).
b−a 2
(24) Prove Cauchy’s Mean Value Theorem: If f, g : [a, b] → R are continuous on [a, b]
and differentiable on (a, b), then there is c ∈ (a, b) such that g 0 (c)[f (b) − f (a)] =
f 0 (c)[g(b) − g(a)].
(25) Give an alternative proof of Taylor’s Theorem with a single application of Rolle’s
Theorem by proceeding as follows. Let the notation and hypothesis be as in the
statement of Taylor’s Theorem. Also, as in the proof of Taylor’s Theorem, for
x ∈ [a, b], let
f 00 (a) f (n) (a)
P (x) = f (a) + f 0 (a)(x − a) + (x − a)2 + · · · + (x − a)n .
2! n!
Define g : [a, b] → R by
f 00 (x) f (n) (x)
g(x) = f (x) + f 0 (x)(b − x) + (b − x)2 + · · · + (b − x)n + s(b − x)n+1 ,
2! n!
where s = [f (b) − P (b)]/(b − a)n+1 . Show that g(a) = g(b) = f (b). Apply Rolle’s
Theorem to g to deduce Taylor’s Theorem.
(26) Let the notations and hypothesis be as in the statement of Taylor’s Theorem Given
any p ∈ N with p ≤ n + 1, show that there is c ∈ (a, b) such that
f (n) (a) f (n+1) (c)
f (b) = f (a) + f 0 (a)(b − a) + · · · + (b − a)n + (b − a)p (b − c)n−p+1 .
n! n!p
[Hint: Proceed as in the previous exercise except to change the (n + 1)th power to
pth power in the definitions of g(x) and s.] Show that Taylor’s Theorem is a special
case of this result with p = n + 1. Further, show that if I is any interval containing
more than one point, a is any point of I, and f : I → R is such that f 0 , f 00 , . . . , f (n)
exist on I and f (n+1) exists at every interior point of I, then for any x ∈ I, there is
c between a and x such that
f (n+1) (c)
f (x) = Pn (x) + Rn,p (x), where Rn,p (x) = (x − a)p (x − c)n−p+1 ,
n!p
and where Pn (x) is the nth Taylor polynomial of f around a.
[Note: The remainder term in the above result, namely, Rn,p (x), is called the
Schömlich’s Form of Remainder. It reduces to Lagrange’s Form of Remainder when
p = n + 1, whereas it is called the Cauchy’s Form of Remainder when p = 1.]
(27) Let I be an interval in R and f : I → R be a differentiable function. Prove that f
has the IVP on I. (Hint: Given a, b ∈ R with a < b and r ∈ R between f (a) and
f (b), consider g : [a, b] → R defined by g(x) = f (x) − rx.)
(28) Let f : [−1, 1] → R be the integral part function defined by f (x) = [x]. Determine
if there is a differentiable function F : [−1, 1] → R such that F 0 = f . Justify your
answer.