What is the definition of a derivative, and how is it applied to basic functions?

Answer 1

Edward Sutton

A derivative represents the rate at which a function changes at any given point and is a fundamental concept in calculus. For a function f(x), the derivative f'(x) is defined as the limit of the difference quotient as the interval approaches zero. For basic functions, derivatives provide insights into their behavior, such as slopes of tangents, rates of change, and optimization.