Question

Show that the function defined by is a continuous function.

Answer 1

The given function is

This function f is defined for every real number and f can be written as the composition of two functions as,

f = g o h, where

It has to be first proved that are continuous functions.

Clearly, g is defined for all real numbers.

Let c be a real number.

Case I:

Therefore, g is continuous at all points x, such that x < 0

Case II:

Therefore, g is continuous at all points x, such that x > 0

Case III:

Therefore, g is continuous at x = 0

From the above three observations, it can be concluded that g is continuous at all points.

h (x) = cos x

It is evident that h (x) = cos x is defined for every real number.

Let c be a real number. Put x = c + h

If x → c, then h → 0

h (c) = cos c

Therefore, h (x) = cos x is a continuous function.

It is known that for real valued functions g and h,such that (g o h) is defined at c, if g is continuous at c and if f is continuous at g (c), then (f o g) is continuous at c.

Therefore, is a continuous function.