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Differentiate

Definition

Differentiation refers to finding the derivative of a function. It measures how quickly or slowly a quantity changes at any given point and provides information about its slope or rate of change.

Analogy

Imagine you are driving along different roads with varying speeds. Differentiating is like calculating your speedometer reading at each moment, giving you information about how fast you're going at any specific time.

Related terms

Derivative: The derivative of a function represents its rate of change at any given point and is found through the process of differentiation.

Tangent Line: A line that touches a curve at only one point, representing the instantaneous rate of change (slope) of the curve at that point.

Chain Rule: A rule used in calculus to find the derivative of composite functions by combining derivatives of individual functions.

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AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.