About
The derivative of a function of a real variable measures the sensitivity to change of a quantity (a function or dependent variable) which is determined by another quantity (the independent variable).
What will happens to Y if I change X a little bit ? <MATH> f(X) = Y </MATH> where:
- Y is the dependent variable
- X is the independent variable
The derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of the function, as distinct from its average rate of change.
The derivative of the position of a moving object with respect to time is the object's velocity. This measures how quickly the position of the object changes when time is advanced.
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Example
Made with the Math.js library that implements this wiki/Differentiation rules for computing the derivative of a function in calculus.
console.log('calculate derivatives');
console.log(math.derivative('2x^2 + 3x + 4', 'x').toString()); // '4 * x + 3'
console.log(math.derivative('sin(2x)', 'x').toString()); // '2 * cos(2 * x)'
Formula
The derivative of a function at a chosen input value describes the best linear approximation of the function near that input value.
In fact, the derivative at a point of a function of a single variable is:
- the slope
- of the tangent line
to the graph of the function at that point.