The Basics of Differentiation [OLD VER]
Differentiation is one of two major concepts in calculus, besides integration. Differentiation is the process of finding a derivative of a function. The term derivative itself refers to an expression that describes the instantaneous rate of change of a function with respect to a variable. Confused? Don't worry. I'll not be angry at you just because you're confused. Being confused is normal in the process of learning, especially when it's the first time you hear a term new to you. We'll take a gradual approach to understand it. Now, before we dig deeper, we should understand other concepts involved in differentiation. Pre-understanding Change When you hear the term change , what's in your mind? What does change mean? Change , as the word suggests, refers to the change of the value of something. The change, logically speaking, can be calculated by measuring the "gap" between the new value and the old value. Let's take a look at the following ...