Prove that the function f(x) = x sin(1/x) for x ≠ 0 and f(0) = 0 is continuous everywhere but not differentiable at x=0x = 0.

Answer: The function f(x)=xsin⁡(1/x)f(x) = x \sin(1/x) for x≠0x \neq 0 and f(0)=0f(0) = 0 is continuous everywhere but not differentiable at x=0x = 0.

Step-by-step solution

Step 1: Check continuity for x≠0x \neq 0

For x≠0x \neq 0, the function f(x)=xsin⁡(1/x)f(x) = x \sin(1/x) is a product of two continuous functions: g(x)=xg(x) = x and h(x)=sin⁡(1/x)h(x) = \sin(1/x). The function g(x)=xg(x)=x is continuous everywhere. The function h(x)=sin⁡(1/x)h(x) = \sin(1/x) is a composition of sin⁡(u)\sin(u) and u=1/xu=1/x. Since 1/x1/x is continuous for x≠0x \neq 0 and sin⁡(u)\sin(u) is continuous everywhere, their composition is continuous for x≠0x \neq 0. Therefore, their product f(x)f(x) is continuous for all x≠0x \neq 0.

Step 2: Check continuity at x=0x = 0

To check continuity at x=0x = 0, we need to evaluate the limit of f(x)f(x) as xx approaches 00. We know that the sine function is bounded between −1-1 and 11, i.e., −1≤sin⁡(1/x)≤1-1 \le \sin(1/x) \le 1. Multiplying this inequality by ∣x∣|x| (which is positive), we get −∣x∣≤xsin⁡(1/x)≤∣x∣-|x| \le x \sin(1/x) \le |x|. As xx approaches 00, ∣x∣|x| approaches 00. By the Squeeze Theorem, lim⁡x→0xsin⁡(1/x)=0\lim_{x \to 0} x \sin(1/x) = 0. Since f(0)f(0) is given as 00, we have lim⁡x→0f(x)=f(0)\lim_{x \to 0} f(x) = f(0), which means the function is continuous at x=0x = 0.

Step 3: Check differentiability at x=0x = 0

To check differentiability at x=0x = 0, we use the definition of the derivative: f′(0)=lim⁡h→0f(0+h)−f(0)hf'(0) = \lim_{h \to 0} \frac{f(0+h) - f(0)}{h}. Substituting the function definition, we get lim⁡h→0hsin⁡(1/h)−0h\lim_{h \to 0} \frac{h \sin(1/h) - 0}{h}. This simplifies to lim⁡h→0sin⁡(1/h)\lim_{h \to 0} \sin(1/h).

Step 4: Evaluate the limit for differentiability

As hh approaches 00, 1/h1/h approaches ±∞\pm \infty. The function sin⁡(u)\sin(u) oscillates between −1-1 and 11 as uu approaches ±∞\pm \infty. Therefore, lim⁡h→0sin⁡(1/h)\lim_{h \to 0} \sin(1/h) does not approach a single value and thus does not exist. Since the limit does not exist, the function is not differentiable at x=0x = 0.

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