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Physics LibreTexts

2: Derivatives

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The derivative of a function f is another function, f, defined as f(x)dfdxlimδx0f(x+δx)f(x)δx. This kind of expression is called a limit expression because it involves a limit (in this case, the limit where δx goes to zero).

If the derivative exists within some domain of x (i.e., the above limit expression is mathematically well-defined), then we say f is differentiable in that domain. It can be shown that a differentiable function is automatically continuous.

Graphically, the derivative represents the slope of the graph of f(x), as shown below:

clipboard_ed2de0f8c8a5504571c253e11b33a039d.png
Figure 2.1

If f is differentiable, we can define its second-order derivative f as the derivative of f. Third-order and higher-order derivatives are defined similarly.


This page titled 2: Derivatives is shared under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Y. D. Chong via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.

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