1

Engg. Math. I

Continuity

Definition 1. Let A R and f : X R be a function. Then, the function f is said to

be continuous at a point x0 A if f (x0 ) exists and for every given > 0 we can find
a > 0 (which may depend on and x0 both) such that
|f (x) f (x0 )| < whenever |x x0 | < .
If f is continuous at each point of A, then it is said to be continuous on A.
Example 1. Let f : R R be defined by
f (x) =

x
2

for all x R.

Then, show that f is continuous on R.

Proof. Let x0 R be fixed and > 0 is given (known). Then, f (x0 ) =
|f (x) f (x0 )| <

x0
. Now,
2

x x 

0
 <
2
2
1
|x x0 | <
2
|x x0 | < 2.

Choose = 2 and |x x0 | < in the above inequality, we obtain |f (x) f (x0 )| < .
Therefore, f is continuous at point of R.
Example 2. Let f : R R be defined by
f (x) = ax + b for all x R
where a, b > 0 are some real numbers. Then, show that f is continuous on R.
Proof. Let x0 R be fixed and > 0 is given (known). Then, f (x0 ) = ax0 + b. Now,
|f (x) f (x0 )| <

|ax + b (ax0 + b)| <

|a(x x0 )| <

|x x0 | < .
a

Choose = and |x x0 | < in the above inequality, we obtain |f (x) f (x0 )| < .
a
Therefore, f is continuous at point of R.

2
Example 3. Let f : R R be defined by

1,
f (x) =
0,

if x > 0;
if x 0.

Then, at which point f is not continuous.

Proof. Obviously, f is continuous in the intervals (, 0) and (0, ). We consider the
point x0 = 0. If f is continuous at x0 = 0, then for every given > 0 we can find > 0
such that
|f (x) f (x0 )| <
|f (x)| <
|f (x)| <

whenever |x x0 | <
whenever |x| <
whenever x (, ).

(1)

Choose x (0, ), then f (x) = 1. Now choose = 1, then we obtain from (1)
that |1| = f (x) = 1 < = 1. This contradiction shows that f is not continuous at
x0 = 0.
Example 4 (Dirichlet Function). Let f : R R be defined by

1, if x Q;
f (x) =
0, if x R \ Q.
Then, show that f is discontinuous everywhere.
Proof. Let x0 R. Then, we have two possibilities. First, suppose x0 Q. Then
f (x0 ) = 1. If f is continuous at x0 , then for every > 0 we can find > 0 such that
|f (x) f (x0 )| <
|f (x) 1| <
|f (x) 1| <

whenever
whenever
whenever

|x x0 | <
|x x0 | <
x (x0 , x0 + ).

(2)

Choose x (x0 , x0 + ) such that x0 is irrational, then f (x) = 0. Now choose

= 1, then we obtain from (2) that |0 1| = 1 < = 1. This contradiction shows that
f is not continuous at x0 . Further, with similar arguments we can show that f is not
continuous at x0 R \ Q.