# Derivative Definition and 143 Discussions

In mathematics, the derivative of a function of a real variable measures the sensitivity to change of the function value (output value) with respect to a change in its argument (input value). Derivatives are a fundamental tool of calculus. For example, 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 advances.
The derivative of a function of a single variable at a chosen input value, when it exists, is the slope of the tangent line to the graph of the function at that point. The tangent line is the best linear approximation of the function near that input value. For this reason, the derivative is often described as the "instantaneous rate of change", the ratio of the instantaneous change in the dependent variable to that of the independent variable.
Derivatives can be generalized to functions of several real variables. In this generalization, the derivative is reinterpreted as a linear transformation whose graph is (after an appropriate translation) the best linear approximation to the graph of the original function. The Jacobian matrix is the matrix that represents this linear transformation with respect to the basis given by the choice of independent and dependent variables. It can be calculated in terms of the partial derivatives with respect to the independent variables. For a real-valued function of several variables, the Jacobian matrix reduces to the gradient vector.
The process of finding a derivative is called differentiation. The reverse process is called antidifferentiation. The fundamental theorem of calculus relates antidifferentiation with integration. Differentiation and integration constitute the two fundamental operations in single-variable calculus.

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1. ### Finding acceleration from Velocity vs Position graph

The answer is E. I was initially very confused as to why the answer was not A but realized that the graph was velocity vs position (rather than velocity vs time) which means I can't simply take the derivative of the given graph. One thing I tried was writing out the equation first(c being a...
2. ### I Function min and max help

What should I do when the f(x, y) function's second derivatives or Δ=AC-B² is zero? When the function is f(x) then we can differentiate it until it won't be a zero, but if z = some x and y then can I just continue this process to find what max and min (extremes) it has? What I've done is...
3. ### Using derivatives in physics

Hi, I'm trying to calculate my own physics problem but didn't get it something. When I'm trying to calculate the impulse of the object when it's hit by F=10N force in the smallest possible time, then should I write: dP/dt = Fnet => dP = Fnet*dt ? Another question: In general, if I calculate...
4. ### Spirit evaporating from a bowl

Problem statement : I draw the problem statement above. I hope I am correct in inferring that the bowl is hemispherical. Attempt : I could not attempt to the solve the problem. We are given that the rate of change (decrease) in volume is proportional to the surface area ...
5. ### The connection between potential energy and force

Hi, if the force is the derivative of potential energy, does it mean that the force is equal to mg and with a constant gravity, it will be the same at any height? But in real life, F (or mg) would be different on the Earth's surface and 400 km above it (~8 m/s^2). So, this formula is used to...
6. ### Derivatives and the chain rule

I originally thought you’d have to use the chain rule to get h’, as in: f’(g(x))*g’(x). Plugging in 1 for x, I got an answer of 10. An online solution, however, said that you only had to get f(g(1)), which was f(-1), then look up f’(-1) in the table. Both approaches seem logical to me, but they...
7. ### Relating volumetric dilatation rate to the divergence for a fluid-volume

in class we derived the following relationship: $$\frac{1}{V}\frac{dV}{dt}= \nabla \cdot \vec{v}$$ This was derived though the analysis of linear deformation for a fluid-volume, where: $$dV = dV_x +dV_y + dV_z$$ I understood the derived relation as: 1/V * (derivative wrt time) = div (velocity)...
8. ### Engineering Proportional plus derivative controller

Hello, There is a thread related to this question however it was marked correct but doesn't look correct to me? https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/step-change-in-a-proportional-plus-integral-controller.961180/ I think I have it but it is quite different to other answers I have seen? I...
9. ### Lifting a survivor into a helicopter with a rope

We have 2 forces affecting the rope: 1. Gravitational force of the body ##=mg## and 2. Force of air = Force of drag= ##F_{AIR}##. The length of the rope is shortening with the velocity ##v_k##. So to figure out the angle ##\theta## I wrote: ##R##= force of rope ##R_x = F_{AIR}## ##R_y = mg##...
10. ### I Integrating with the Dirac delta distribution

Given $$\begin{split} \int_{y-\epsilon}^{y+\epsilon} \delta^{(2)}(x-y) f(x) dx &= f^{(2)}(y) \end{split}$$ where ##\epsilon > 0## Is the following also true as ##\epsilon \rightarrow 0## \begin{split} \int_{y-\epsilon}^{y+\epsilon}...

16. ### Matt & Hugh play with a Brick and derive Centripetal Acceleration

Matt and Hugh play with a tennis ball and a brick. Then they do some working out to derive the formula for the centripetal force (a = v^2/r) by differentiati...
17. ### A Calculation of Fourier Transform Derivative d/dw (F{x(t)})=d/dw(X(w))

Calculation of Fourier Transform Derivative d/dw (F{x(t)})=d/dw(X(w)) Hello to my Math Fellows, Problem: I am looking for a way to calculate w-derivative of Fourier transform,d/dw (F{x(t)}), in terms of regular Fourier transform,X(w)=F{x(t)}. Definition Based Solution (not good enough): from...
18. ### I Understanding the definition of derivative

As far as I understand, when we want to differentiate a vector field along the direction of another vector field, we need to define either further structure affine connection, or Lie derivative through flow. However, I don't understand why they are needed. If we want to differentiate ##Y## in...
19. ### I Idea about single-point differentiability and continuity

Many have probably seen an example of a function that is continuous at only one point, for example ##f:\mathbb{R}\rightarrow\mathbb{R}\hspace{5pt}:\hspace{5pt}f(x)=\left\{\begin{array}{cc}x, & \hspace{6pt}when\hspace{3pt}x\in\mathbb{Q} \\ -x, &...
20. ### Velocity, acceleration, jerk, snap, crackle, pop, stop, drop, roll....

Edit: I see this was discussed in the related thread sorry for a repost. If acceleration causes a change in velocity, and jerk causes a change in acceleration, snap causes a change in jerk, crackle causes a change in snap, pop causes a change in crackle, stop causes a change in pop, drop causes...
21. ### Infinite series to calculate integrals

For example integral of f(x)=sqrt(1-x^2) from 0 to 1 is a problem, since the derivative of the function is -x/sqrt(1-x^2) so putting in 1 in the place of x ruins the whole thing.
22. ### B Justification for cancelling dx in an integral

In Paul Nahin's book Inside Interesting Integrals, on pg. 113, he writes the following line (actually he wrote a more complicated function inside the integral where I have simply written f(x))... ## \int_0^\phi \frac {d} {dx} f(x) dx =...
23. ### Evaluating This limit

<Moderator's note: Moved from a technical forum and thus no template.> $$\lim_{x\rightarrow 0} (x-tanx)/x^3$$ I solve it like this, $$\lim_{x\rightarrow 0}1/x^2 - tanx/x^3=\lim_{x\rightarrow 0}1/x^2 - tanx/x*1/x^2$$ Now using the property $$\lim_{x\rightarrow 0}tanx/x=1$$,we have ...

47. ### I How to find the matrix of the derivative endomorphism?

We have ##B=(1, X, X^2, X^3)## as a base of ##R3 [X]## and we have the endomorphisms ##d/dX## and ##d^2/dX^2## so that: ##d/dX (P) = P'## and ##d^2/dX^2 (P) = P''##. Calculating the matrix in class, the teacher found the following matrix, call it ##A##: \begin{bmatrix} 0 & 1 & 0 & 0...
48. G

### How can I calculate the derivative of this function?

Homework Statement Let f(x) be the function whose graph is shown below (I'll upload the image) Determine f'(a) for a = 1,2,4,7. f'(1) = f'(2) = f'(4) = f'(7) = Use one decimal. Homework Equations f(x+h)-f(x)/h The Attempt at a Solution Hi everybody I was trying to do this function...
49. ### Polar Divergence of a Vector

Homework Statement Find the divergence of the function ##\vec{v} = (rcos\theta)\hat{r}+(rsin\theta)\hat{\theta}+(rsin\theta cos\phi)\hat{\phi}## Homework Equations ##\nabla\cdot\vec{v}=\frac{1}{r^2}\frac{\partial}{\partial r}(r^2v_r)+\frac{1}{r sin\theta}\frac{\partial}{\partial...
50. A

### Finding the approximate change in the perimeter of a circle

Homework Statement The radius of a circle increases from 3 to 3.01 cm. Find the approximate change in its perimeter. Here's a link to the actual question, in case you need the answer for 6(a) to solve 6(b) http://imgur.com/a/nQt6M Homework Equations Perimeter of circle = 2πr Area of circle =...