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Let $f$ be a real function and let $f'$ be its strong derivative, i.e., for all $x\in\mathbb R$

$$f'(x)=\lim_{x_1,x_2\to x}\frac{f(x_2)-f(x_1)}{x_2-x_1},$$

where $\lim_{x_1,x_2\to x}\frac{f(x_2)-f(x_1)}{x_2-x_1}$ is the $a\in\mathbb R$ such that for every $\epsilon>0$ there is a $\delta>0$ such that $|\frac{f(x_2)-f(x_1)}{x_2-x_1}-a|<\epsilon$ whenever $x_1\neq x_2$ and $\max\{|x-x_1|,|x-x_2|\}<\delta$.

Assume that both $f$ and $f'$ are defined on all of $\mathbb R$ and are both uniformly continuous. I need help to prove that the function $F:\mathbb R^2\to\mathbb R$ defined by

$$F(x_1,x_2)=\begin{cases} \frac{f(x_2)-f(x_1)}{x_2-x_1} & \text{if }x_1\neq x_2 \\ f'(x_1) & \text{if }x_1=x_2 \end{cases}$$

is also uniformly continuous. And I need that proof to not make use of any theorems about derivatives.

Background: Some time ago I asked the same question about the standard derivative: Uniform continuity of difference function. Because of the lack of answers, I'm beginning to suspect that it cannot be done. I'm hoping that strengthening the assumption will do the trick.

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    No theorems about derivatives? Seems a bit silly.2017-01-14
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    @zhw: I'm asking because I'm working on a major project concerned with reconstructing certain parts of mathematics on an alternative foundation. (However, fortunately, it's sufficiently similar to classical mathematics that I can easily "translate" my problem into classical mathematics, which is what I did above.) At the point in the development where I need to prove this, I don't yet have any theorems about derivatives available.2017-01-14

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