If $f: R \rightarrow R$ is defined by $$ f(x)=\left\{\begin{array}{cc} \frac{\cos 3 x-\cos x}{x^2}, & \text…

If $f: R \rightarrow R$ is defined by $$ f(x)=\left\{\begin{array}{cc} \frac{\cos 3 x-\cos x}{x^2}, & \text { for } x \neq 0 \\ \lambda & , \text { for } x=0 \end{array}\right. $$ and if $f$ is continuous at $x=0$, then $\lambda$ is equal to
  1. $-2$
  2. $-4$
  3. $-6$
  4. $-8$

Solution

Given that, $ f(x)=\left\{\begin{array}{cc} \frac{\cos 3 x-\cos x}{x^2}, & \text { for } x \neq 0 \\ \lambda, & \text { for } x=0 \end{array}\right. $ Now, $ \begin{aligned} \text { LHL } & =\lim _{x \rightarrow 0^{-}} f(x) \\ & =\lim _{x \rightarrow 0^{-}} \frac{\cos 3 x-\cos x}{x^2} \\ & =\lim _{h \rightarrow 0} \frac{\cos 3(0-h)-\cos (0-h)}{(0-h)^2} \\ & =\lim _{h \rightarrow 0} \frac{\cos 3 h-\cos h}{h^2} \\ & =\lim _{h \rightarrow 0} \frac{-3 \sin 3 h+\sin h}{2 h} \\ & =\lim _{h \rightarrow 0} \frac{-9 \cos 3 h+\cos h}{2} \\ & =\frac{-9+1}{2}=-4 \end{aligned} $ (using L' Hospital's rule) Since, $f(x)$ is continuous at $x=0$ $ \begin{array}{ll} \therefore & \lim _{x \rightarrow 0^{-}} f(x)=f(0) \\ \Rightarrow & -4=\lambda \Rightarrow \lambda=-4 \end{array} $

Asked in: AP EAMCET 2008

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