Class XII · Chapter 5 · NCERT Mathematics

CHAPTER 05

Continuity and Differentiability

Smoothness, Formally Defined

The bridge between limits and the powerful derivative rules used throughout the rest of the syllabus.

\(\tfrac{d}{dx}f(g(x)) = f'(g(x))\cdot g'(x)\)
12 CBSE Marks
★★★★★ Difficulty
9 Topics
Very High JEE Weight

Topics Covered

9 key topics in this chapter

Continuity at a Point & on an Interval
Algebra of Continuous Functions
Differentiability
Chain Rule
Derivatives of Implicit Functions
Exponential & Logarithmic Function Derivatives
Logarithmic Differentiation
Derivatives in Parametric Form
Second Order Derivative

Study Resources

𝑓 Key Formulae

Essential mathematical expressions for this chapter — understand derivations, not just results.

Continuity at a Point
\[\lim_{x\to a}f(x) = f(a)\]
📌 Left limit = right limit = function value
Chain Rule
\[\tfrac{d}{dx}f(g(x)) = f'(g(x))\cdot g'(x)\]
📌 Differentiate outer, then inner
Exponential Derivative
\[\tfrac{d}{dx}e^{x} = e^{x},\quad \tfrac{d}{dx}a^{x}=a^{x}\ln a\]
📌 Base e is its own derivative
Logarithmic Differentiation
\[\ln y = v\ln u \implies \tfrac{y'}{y} = v'\ln u + \tfrac{v u'}{u}\]
📌 Use for uᵛ-type expressions
Parametric Derivative
\[\tfrac{dy}{dx} = \tfrac{dy/dt}{dx/dt}\]
📌 When x and y are both functions of t

🎯 Exam-Ready Insights

Important points to remember — curated from CBSE Board question patterns.

01

CBSE checks continuity of piecewise functions at the junction point — always compute LHL, RHL, and f(a) separately and compare.

02

Logarithmic differentiation is the only method for differentiating functions of the form [f(x)]^g(x) — take log of both sides first.

03

Differentiability implies continuity, but continuity does NOT imply differentiability — |x| at x = 0 is the classic counterexample.

04

Second-order derivatives (d²y/dx²) for parametric and implicit functions are a common 5-mark question.

🏆 Competitive Exam Strategy

Targeted tips for JEE Main, JEE Advanced, NEET, BITSAT, and CBSE Boards.

JEE Main

Differentiability at a corner point is tested through LHD ≠ RHD; compute both derivatives from first principles when in doubt.

JEE Advanced

Composite chain-rule problems with three or more nested functions are common — differentiate layer by layer, do not rush.

NEET

Basic exponential and logarithmic derivative rules appear in physics-adjacent problems — keep them automatic.

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

✕

Checking only one-sided continuity instead of both LHL and RHL.

✕

Forgetting to apply the chain rule when differentiating a composite function.

✕

Applying normal differentiation rules to uᵛ expressions instead of logarithmic differentiation.

💡 Key Takeaways

◆

Continuity requires the limit to exist AND equal the function value at that point.

◆

Every differentiable function is continuous, but the converse is false.

◆

The chain rule is the single most-used differentiation tool in this chapter.

📚
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