How do you find f ' if f(x)=sin (1/x^2)f(x)=sin(1x2)?

2 Answers
Aug 4, 2015

f'(x) = (-2)/x^3 cos(1/x^2)

Explanation:

Use d/dx(sinx) = cosx together with the chain rule to get:

d/dxsinu = cosu * (du)/dx

In this case, u = 1/x^2 = x^-2,

so (du)/dx = -2x^-3 = (-2)/x^3

Putting this together, we get:

f'(x) = cos(1/x^2) * d/dx(1/x^2)

= cos(1/x^2) (-2)/x^3" " which is better written:

f'(x) = (-2)/x^3 cos(1/x^2)

Aug 4, 2015

An interesting example related to this one is to consider the piecewise-defined function f given by the equations f(x)=x^2sin(1/x) for x!=0 and f(0)=0. Even though this function has infinitely many oscillations near the origin, the derivative f'(0) exists. On the other hand, the derivative f' is not continuous at x=0.

Explanation:

Again, let f be defined in a piecewise way by f(x)=x^2sin(1/x) when x!=0 and f(0)=0.

Certainly, when x!=0 the function is differentiable and continuous and the Product Rule and Chain Rule can be used to say that:

f'(x)=2x*sin(1/x)+x^2*cos(1/x)*(-1)x^{-2}

=2xsin(1/x)-cos(1/x) for x!=0.

But f is continuous everywhere (lim_{x->0}f(x)=0=f(0) by the Squeeze Theorem) and f'(0) happens to exist as well! Do a limit calculation:

f'(0)=lim_{h->0}(f(0+h)-f(0))/h=lim_{h->0}(h^2*sin(1/h)-0)/h

=lim_{h->0}hsin(1/h)=0, where the last equality follows by the Squeeze Theorem.

In other words, f'(0)=0.

Here's a graph of the function f (blue) and its derivative f' (red). Even though the derivative exists everywhere, it is not well-behaved near the origin. Not only does it have infinitely many oscillations as x->0, but the oscillations never decrease below 1 in amplitude (and lim_{x->0}f'(x) fails to exist so that f' is not continuous at x=0). On the other hand, the graph of the derivative contains the point (0,0) as well.

Pretty amazing, isn't it?!?!

enter image source here

Here a closer view near the origin and also making sure we can still see the blue curve. It's oscillating infinitely often as x->0 as well, though the oscillations are rapidly decreasing in amplitude as x->0.

enter image source here