Intermediate value theorem

Statement

Full version

Suppose $f$ is a continuous function and a closed interval $[a,b]$ is contained in the domain of $f$ (in particular, the restriction of $f$ to the interval $[a,b]$ is continuous). Then, for any $t$ between the values $f(a)$ and $f(b)$ (see note below), there exists $c\in [a,b]$ such that $f(c)=t$.

Note: When we say $t$ is between $f(a)$ and $f(b)$, we mean $t\in [f(a),f(b)]$ if $f(a)\leq f(b)$ and we mean that $t\in [f(b),f(a)]$ if $f(b)\leq f(a)$.

Short version

Any continuous function on an interval satisfies the intermediate value property.

Caveats

The statement need not be true for a discontinuous function

It is possible for a function having a discontinuity to violate the intermediate value theorem. Below is an example, of the function $f(x):=(x+1)\operatorname {sgn} (x)$ where $\operatorname {sgn}$ is the signum function and we define it to be zero at 0.

Here, we consider the domain $[a,b]=[-1,3]$, with $f(-1)=0$ and $f(3)=4$, but there is no $c\in [-1,3]$ satisfying $f(c)=1/2$, even though $1/2\in [0,4]$.

The function needs to be defined throughout the domain

Consider the function $f(x):=1/x$. We have $f(-1)=-1$ and $f(1)=1$. However, there is no $c\in [-1,1]$ such that $f(c)=1/2$. The reason the theorem fails is that $f$ is not defined at the point 0, and hence it is not defined on the domain $[-1,1]$.