If $f(x)$ is smooth and odd, must $f(x)/x$ be smooth

real-analysissmooth-functions

Let $f:\mathbb R\to\mathbb R$ be:

  1. smooth, i.e., infinitely differentiable, and
  2. odd, i.e., $f(x)=-f(-x)$ for all $x$.

Let $g:\mathbb R\to\mathbb R$ be defined as

$$g(x):=\left\{
\matrix{f(x)/x, & x\neq 0 \\
\lim_{x\to 0} f(x)/x, & x=0}
\right.$$

Must $g$ be smooth? In fact, is $g$ necessarily well defined at $x=0$?


This is not a HW problem, by the way. I am have been working on a different problem and just realized I have been assuming the above fact without proof. I am aware of some theorems in complex analysis that make this true for complex-analytic functions, but I also know that real analysis isn't always so clean.

Best Answer

$g$ will always be well defined at $0$ because:

$$g(0) = \lim_{x\to 0} \frac{f(x)}{x} = \lim_{x\to 0} \frac{f(x)-0}{x-0} \equiv f'(0)$$

by the definition of the derivative. One can even prove via repeated use of quotient rule and induction that by this definition,

$$g^{(n)}(0) = \frac{f^{(n+1)}(0)}{(n+1)}$$

which is well defined because $f$ is smooth.