one-sided derivatives


  • If the real function f is defined in the point x0 and on some interval left from this and if the left-hand one-sided limitlimh0-f(x0+h)-f(x0)h  exists, then this limit is defined to be the left-sided derivative of f in x0.

  • If the real function f is defined in the point x0 and on some interval right from this and if the right-hand one-sided limit  limh0+f(x0+h)-f(x0)h  exists, then this limit is defined to be the right-sided derivative of f in x0.

It’s apparent that if f has both the left-sided and the right-sided derivative in the point x0 and these are equal, then f is differentiableMathworldPlanetmathPlanetmath in x0 and f(x0) equals to these one-sided derivatives.  Also inversely.

Example.  The real function  xxx  is defined for  x0  and differentiable for  x>0  with  f(x)32x.  The function also has the right derivative in 0:

limh0+hh-00h=limh0+h=0

Remark.  For a function  f:[a,b],  to have a right-sided derivative at  x=a with value d, is equivalentMathworldPlanetmathPlanetmathPlanetmathPlanetmathPlanetmath to saying that there is an extensionPlanetmathPlanetmath g of f to some open interval containing  [a,b]  and satisfying  g(a)=d.  Similarly for left-sided derivatives.

Title one-sided derivatives
Canonical name OnesidedDerivatives
Date of creation 2013-03-22 15:39:00
Last modified on 2013-03-22 15:39:00
Owner pahio (2872)
Last modified by pahio (2872)
Numerical id 9
Author pahio (2872)
Entry type Definition
Classification msc 26B05
Classification msc 26A24
Synonym left derivative
Synonym right derivative
Related topic Differentiable
Related topic OneSidedLimit
Related topic DifferntiableFunction
Related topic OneSidedContinuity
Related topic SemicubicalParabola
Defines left-sided derivative
Defines right-sided derivative