# Why does the first derivative of a piecewise continuous function have discontinuities?

I have this piecewise continuous function which is also continuously differentiable over time :

psi[t_] := Piecewise[{{(1 + t)^3 (-3 t^2 + t), -1 <= t <= 0},
{(1 - t)^3 (3 t^2 + t), 0 <= t <= 1}}];


Now, for starters, when I Plot it, a discontinuity appears. This can easily be solved with a simple Exclusions -> None option in the Plotcommand.

But then, when I calculate its first derivative over time using D, I obtain the following:

D[psi[t], t]


And then when I try to plot it :

• Is there something wrong with my original psi[t_]function? (Is it not continuous for Mathematica?)
• Why are the limits of definition of the first derivative modified?
• Why is the first derivative discontinuous?

Now, the easy solution would be to construct the first derivative using the results proposed by the D function and re-defining the definition domain... But I really want to understand this issue (if there is one).

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Try Plot[Evaluate[D[psi[t], t]], {t, -1, 1}] or Plot[D[psi[x], x] /. x -> t, {t, -1, 1}], or Plot[D[psi[t], t], {t, -1, 1}, Evaluated -> True]. –  kguler Mar 11 '13 at 22:03

One way to do this is to define the derivative function:

dPsi[t_] = D[psi[t], t]


which can then be plotted:

Plot[dPsi[t], {t, -3, 3}, PlotRange -> All]


The problem with your original formulation is that D[psi[t],t] does not evaluate to a function, it is instead d_t. The first derivative is not discontinuous, as a function, but it does have different definitions that correspond to the points where your Piecewise function changes.

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Plot[psi'[t], {t, -3, 3}, PlotRange -> All]

As psi[t] has already been defined, it makes sense to use Derivative[] for producing the derivative.