# Math Help - [SOLVED] two (tough?) limit proofs

1. ## [SOLVED] two (tough?) limit proofs

Hi, I'm having trouble to write a formal proof for the following.

1. Let $f(x)=\left\{\begin{array}{cc}0,&\mbox{ if x is irrational}
\\1, & \mbox{ if x is rational} \end{array}\right.$
. Show that $\lim \limits_{x \rightarrow a} f(x)$ does not exist for any a

*EDIT* I deleted the second problem so I could posted without double-posting

2. #1. First say $L>0$. Suppose that $\lim_{x\to a}f(x) = L$ then $0<|x-a|<\delta \implies |f(x) - L| < L/2$ (by picking $\epsilon = L/2>0$). But since the is a rational $x_0$ with $0<|x_0-a|<\delta$ for no matter $\delta>0$ it would mean that $f(x_0)=0$ and so $|f(x_0)-L| = L < L/2$ this is a contradiction. If $L<0$ then choose $\epsilon = -L/2 > 0$ and apply same argument. If $L=0$ then it means $|f(x)| < \epsilon$ for all $0<|x-a|<\delta$. Take then $\epsilon = 1$ and it would mean $|f(x)|<1$ for all $0<|x-a|<\delta$, but since there is irrational $x_0$ then it would mean $|f(x_0)| = 1 < 1$ which is a contradiction.