Discontinuous partial derivatives example

  • #1
littlemathquark
35
9
Homework Statement
$$f(x,y)=\left\{\begin{array}{ccc} (x^2+y^2)\sin\left(\frac{1}{\sqrt{x^2+y^2}}\right) & , & (x,y)\neq (0,0) \\ 0 & , & (x,y)=(0,0) \end{array}\right.$$
Relevant Equations
none
$$f(x,y)=\left\{\begin{array}{ccc} (x^2+y^2)\sin\left(\frac{1}{\sqrt{x^2+y^2}}\right) & , & (x,y)\neq (0,0) \\ 0 & , & (x,y)=(0,0) \end{array}\right.$$ This function is differentiable at (0,0) point but ##f_x## and ##f_y## partial derivatives not continuous at (0,0) point. I need another examples like this. Thank you.
 
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  • #2
IIRC,
##f(x,y):=\frac {2xy}{x^2+ y^2}##
 
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  • #3
Take a classical univariate differentiable but not continuously differentiable example:
[tex]
f(x) := \begin{cases} x^2 \sin (1/x), &x\neq 0 \\ 0,&x=0 \end{cases}
[/tex]
Then define
[tex]
h(x,y) = f(x) + f(y).
[/tex]
Obviously, one can extend this to arbitrary finite dimension.
 
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FAQ: Discontinuous partial derivatives example

What are discontinuous partial derivatives?

Discontinuous partial derivatives refer to the situation where the partial derivatives of a function do not exist at certain points or exhibit abrupt changes in value. This can occur in functions that have sharp corners, cusps, or discontinuities in their domain.

Can you provide an example of a function with discontinuous partial derivatives?

One classic example is the function f(x, y) = |x| + |y|. The partial derivatives with respect to x and y are not defined at the point (0, 0) because the function has a sharp corner there. For x > 0, ∂f/∂x = 1; for x < 0, ∂f/∂x = -1, indicating a discontinuity at the origin.

How do you determine if a partial derivative is discontinuous?

To determine if a partial derivative is discontinuous, you can evaluate the limit of the derivative from different directions. If the limits do not converge to the same value, or if the derivative does not exist at a point, then the partial derivative is considered discontinuous at that point.

What is the significance of discontinuous partial derivatives in analysis?

Discontinuous partial derivatives are significant because they indicate points where a function may not be well-behaved, affecting the function's continuity and differentiability. Understanding these points is crucial in optimization, numerical analysis, and applied mathematics, as they can lead to non-standard behavior in solutions.

How can discontinuous partial derivatives affect optimization problems?

In optimization problems, discontinuous partial derivatives can lead to challenges in finding local maxima or minima. Standard methods, such as gradient descent, rely on the continuity and differentiability of functions. If the derivatives are discontinuous, it may result in failure to converge to an optimal solution or lead to incorrect conclusions about the behavior of the function near critical points.

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