The value $(s)$ of $x$ for which the function $f(x)=\left\{\begin{array}{cc} 1-x, & x 2 \end{array}\right.$…

The value $(s)$ of $x$ for which the function $f(x)=\left\{\begin{array}{cc} 1-x, & x < 1 \\ (1-x)(2-x), & 1 \leq x \leq 2 \\ 3-x, & x>2 \end{array}\right.$ fails to be continuous is(are)
  1. $1$
  2. $2$
  3. $3$
  4. all real numbers

Solution

Given function, $f(x)=\left\{\begin{array}{cc} 1-x, & x < 1 \\ (1-x)(2-x), & 1 \leq x \leq 2 \\ 3-x & x>2 \end{array}\right.$ For $f(x)$ to be continuous at $x=1$. $\begin{aligned} & \lim _{x \rightarrow 1^{+}} f(x)=\lim _{x \rightarrow 1^{+}} f(x)=f(1) \\ & \Rightarrow \quad \lim _{x \rightarrow 1^{+}}(1-x)=\lim _{x \rightarrow 1^{+}}(1-x)(2-x) \\ & (1-1)=(1-1)(2-1)=0 \end{aligned}$ and $f(1)=(1-1)(2-1)=0$ $\therefore f(x)$ is continuous at $x=1$. Now, at $x=2, \lim _{x \rightarrow 2^{-}} f(x)=\lim _{x \rightarrow 2^{-}} f(x)=f(2)$ $\begin{aligned} & \Rightarrow \lim _{x \rightarrow 2^{-}}(1-x)(2-x)=\lim _{x \rightarrow 2^{+}}(3-x) \\ & \Rightarrow \quad(1-2)(2-2)=(3-2) \\ & \Rightarrow \quad 0 \neq 1 \\ & \therefore \quad f(x) \text { is discontinuous at } x=2 \end{aligned}$ $\therefore f(x)$ is discontinuous at $x=2$.

Asked in: AP EAMCET 2016

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