Prove this formula follows from a function being continuously differentiable?

41 Views Asked by At

I'm studying for an exam in an electrical engineering course (stochastic process in dynamic systems), though this section is strictly on the math. A given practice problem (with no solution given, of course) is:

"Show that if $f: \mathbb{R}^n \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ is continuously differentiable around $x_0$, then $$f(x) = f(x_0) + A(x-x_0)+g(x)$$ where $$\lim_{x\to x_0} \frac{||g(x)||}{||x-x_0||}=0$$

Note that in the first equation, A is the matrix of partial derivatives of $f$ at $x_0$

The approach I've taken, which I don't think is correct, is as follows:

$f$ is continuously differentiable, then $$\lim_{x\to x_0}\frac{f(x)-f(x_0)-A\dot(x-x_0)}{||x-x_0||}=0$$

So we have $$\lim_{x\to x_0}\frac{f(x)-f(x_0)-A\dot(x-x_0)}{||x-x_0||} = \lim_{x\to x_0} \frac{||g(x)||}{||x-x_0||}=0$$

$$\frac{\lim_{x\to x_0}f(x)-f(x_0)-A\dot(x-x_0)}{\lim_{x\to x_0}||x-x_0||} = \frac{\lim_{x\to x_0} ||g(x)||}{\lim_{x\to x_0} ||x-x_0||}$$

$$\lim_{x\to x_0}f(x)-f(x_0)-A\dot(x-x_0) = \lim_{x\to x_0} ||g(x)||$$

$$\lim_{x\to x_0}f(x) = \lim_{x\to x_0} f(x_0)+A\dot(x-x_0)+||g(x)||$$

Since the codomain of $f(x)$ is $\mathbb{R}$, we can assume the codomain of $g(x)$ is also $\mathbb{R}$, meaning $||g(x)|| = \sqrt{g(x)^2} = g(x)$, which leaves us with

$$\lim_{x\to x_0}f(x) = \lim_{x\to x_0} f(x_0)+A\dot(x-x_0)+g(x)$$

Here, I'm tempted to just drop the limits, leaving the equation which was to be shown. But I feel like this is wrong, because it seems strange to equate two functions because their limits are the same. For example, if $r(x)=x$ and $s(x)=\sin(x)$, $$\lim_{x\to 0}r(x) = 0 = \lim_{x\to 0}s(x)$$

But certainly $x\neq \sin(x)$

Can anyone help me solve this?