I’m embarrassed to admit I’m getting my masters degree in a math related subject and I still don’t get this!
I know how to do them, but the way you compute them is almost suspiciously simple. What’s the logic behind converting the exponent to a constant? How does that determine the slope?
In: 0
That’s literally how the derivative is defined. It’s the lim(deltax->0) (f(x+deltax)-f(x))/deltax. Most calc 1 courses go over it, so some supplemental reading might be to just go over “deriving the derivative” or “definition of derivative” in some capacity.
The fact that it simplifies to an easily remembered rule is incidental. All we do is literally find the slopes at more and more small intervals until you’re just at a single point.
Latest Answers