I have to use the following definition to prove that the function Re $z$ is nowhere differentiable:
Let $f$ be a complex-valued function defined in a neighborhood of $z_0$. Then the derivative of $f$ at $z_0$ is given by
$$\frac{df}{dz}(z_0)=f'(z_0)=\lim_{\Delta z \to 0} \frac{f(z_0+ \Delta z)-f(z_0)}{\Delta z},$$
provided this limit exists. (Such an $f$ is said to be differentiable at $z_0$)
First I need to understand what Re $z$ means? This is just the real part of $z$, where $z$ is $x+yi$, so the real part is just $x$, but I don't understand how the the real part alone is considered a function?