Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Single Variable Calculus (MTH 111)
Exercise Sheet 4
1. To be discussed in the tutorial session
In (1) and (2), I ⊆ R is an open interval and a ∈ I.
(1) Show that the following are equivalent for any f : I −→ R:
(a) f is differentiable at a; and
(b) There exists f ∗ : I −→ R which is continuous at a and satisfies the following:
f (x) − f (a) = f ∗ (x)(x − a), ∀x ∈ I.
Consequently, f ′ (a) = f ∗ (a).
(2) Suppose that f, g : I −→ R are differentiable at a ∈ I. Show the following:
(a) f ± g is differentiable at a and (f ± g)′ (a) = f ′ (a) ± g ′ (a).
(b) f g is differentiable at a and (f g)′ (a) = f ′ (a)g(a) + f (a)g ′ (a).
(c) If g(a) ̸= 0, there exists r > 0 such that (a − r, a + r) ⊆ I and g vanishes nowhere in
(a − r, a + r).
(d) Let g be as above in (2c). Then g1 : (a − r, a + r) −→ R is differentiable at a and
 ′
1 g ′ (a)
(a) = − .
g g(a)2
f
(e) Let g be as above in (2c). The function : (a − r, a + r) −→ R is differentiable at a and
 ′ g
′ ′
f g(a)f (a) − f (a)g (a)
(a) = .
g g(a)2
In (3) and (4), we let I, J ⊆ R be open intervals, a ∈ I, f : I −→ J and g : J −→ R.
(3) Show that if f is differentiable at a and g is differentiable at f (a), then g◦f is also differentiable
at a and
(g ◦ f )′ (a) = g ′ (f (a))f ′ (a).
(4) Assume that f is continuous at a, g is differentiable at f (a) and ∀x ∈ I, g(f (x)) = x. Show
1
that, if g ′ (f (a)) ̸= 0 then f must be differentiable at a and f ′ (a) = ′ .
g (f (a))
(5) Let I ⊆ R be an open interval and f : I −→ R be differentiable. Suppose that a, b ∈ I such
that a < b.
f (b) − f (a)
(a)∗ Assume that f ′ (a) ̸= . Then show that for any real number λ strictly in
b−a
f (b) − f (a)
between f ′ (a) and , there exists ξ ∈ (a, b) such that f ′ (ξ) = λ. (Hint: Use
b−a
IVT and MVT on appropriate functions.)
f (b) − f (a)
(b) Assume that f ′ (b) ̸= . Then show that for any real number λ strictly in
b−a
f (b) − f (a)
between f ′ (b) and , there exists ξ ∈ (a, b) such that f ′ (ξ) = λ.
b−a
(c) Using (5a) and (5b) show that, if f ′ (a) ̸= f ′ (b), then for every real number λ strictly in
between f ′ (a) and f ′ (b), there exists ξ ∈ (a, b) such that f ′ (ξ) = λ.
(d) If f ′ is nowhere vanishing on I then show that f is strictly monotone.
(6) (a) Give an example showing that the MVT does not hold even if there is a single point in
the interior where the function is not differentiable.
1
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(b) Consider the following functions on [0, 1]:

def def
f (x) = 3x4 − 2x3 − x2 + 1 and g(x) = 4x3 − 3x2 − 2x.
f ′ (x) f (1) − f (0)
Show that for no x ∈ (0, 1), ′ = . How do you reconcile this with that
g (x) g(1) − g(0)
you are supposed to obtain from Cauchy’s form of MVT?
y−x y y − x
(7) (a) Using MVT prove that, for 0 < x < y, < log < .
y  x x
ex − 1

1
(b) Using MVT prove that, for x > 0, 0 < log < 1.
x x
(8) Consider an open interval I ⊆ R and a ∈ I. Find with proper justification whether the
following statement is true or false:

If f : I −→ R is continuous on I and differentiable on I \ {a} and lim f ′ (x) exists then f

x→a
must be differentiable at a.
(9) Let p(x) be nonzero polynomial with real coefficient. Evaluate the following:
1
1 −
 
lim p e x.
x→0+ x
2. Additional exercises
(1) Let I ⊆ R be an interval and f : I −→ R. Assume that f satisfies the intermediate value
property, i.e., whenever x, y ∈ I with x < y and f (x) ̸= f (y) and α is a number strictly in
between f (x) and f (y), there exists c ∈ (x, y) such that f (c) = α. Show that f can have only
essential discontinuities.
(2) Let I ⊆ R be an open interval and f : I −→ R be differentiable. Show that, if f ′ is monotone
then f ′ is continuous.
(3) Let I ⊆ R an open interval and f : I −→ R be continuous and strictly monotone. Assume
that f is differentiable at a and f ′ (a) ̸= 0. Show that f −1 is differentiable at f (a). Can you
find the derivative of f −1 at f (a)?
(4) Consider the following function:
 1
 −
def
f : R −→ R, f (x) = e x if x ≥ 0 . (2.1)
0 if x < 0


Show that f is infinitely differentiable everywhere.

(5) Let α ∈ R and f : (α, ∞) −→ R be differentiable. Show that if lim f (x) and lim f ′ (x) both
x→∞ x→∞
exist then lim f ′ (x) = 0.
x→∞
(6)∗ Let f : R −→ R be a differentiable function. Assume that there exists α ∈ (0, 1) such that
∀x ∈ R, |f ′ (x)| ≤ α. Show that there exists a unique x0 ∈ R such that f (x0 ) = x0 . (Hint:
For any x ∈ R, study the behaviour of the sequence x, f (x), f (f (x)), f (f (f (x))), . . . )