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Exercise 1444Calculus › Single-variable calculus › ContinuityL1Added 8 Nov 2026

Continuity of a piecewise function with an essential singularity

#piecewise#continuity#exponential singularity

Statement

Let a∈Ra\in\mathbb{R}. Discuss the continuity at x=ax=a of
f(x)={(x−a) e1/(x−a)1+e1/(x−a)if x≠a,0if x=a.f(x)=\begin{cases}\dfrac{(x-a)\,e^{1/(x-a)}}{1+e^{1/(x-a)}}&\text{if }x\neq a,\\[2mm]0&\text{if }x=a.\end{cases}

Hint

For x=a+hx=a+h, factor out hh in the numerator and bound the remaining factor.

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Solution

For x=a+hx=a+h with h≠0h\neq0,
f(a+h)=h⋅e1/h1+e1/h.f(a+h)=h\cdot\frac{e^{1/h}}{1+e^{1/h}}.
Since e1/h>0e^{1/h}>0, we have 0<e1/h1+e1/h<10<\dfrac{e^{1/h}}{1+e^{1/h}}<1. Hence
∣f(a+h)−f(a)∣=∣f(a+h)∣<∣h∣.|f(a+h)-f(a)|=|f(a+h)|<|h|.
As h→0h\to0, ∣h∣→0|h|\to0, so f(a+h)→f(a)=0f(a+h)\to f(a)=0. Therefore ff is continuous at aa.

Conclusion. The two one-sided limits both equal 00, which equals f(a)f(a). Hence ff is continuous at x=ax=a.