Just what is a derivative? Well first let’s define a function. A function is a relationship between any two dependent numbers. One number is the independent variable and the other is the dependent variable. This may be used for many applications such as supply and demand, marginal cost and fixed cost, rate of change, velocity, etc.
A derivative is the rate of change at a particular time, or the instantaneous rate of change. On a continuous curved domain line, the derivative of a particular point is the slope, rise over run, of the tangent line to that point. Average rates of change in data are based on multiply points. A rate of change at a particular point is a derivative.
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