December 11, 2024
Introduction In calculus, we will often have to work with functions not in one variable, but in two or more. Functions of this type are called $\textbf{multivariable functions}$. Their notation is slightly different. Examples of multivariable functions are $f(x, y) = xy + 1$ and $f(x, y, z) = xy + yz$. The derivative of […]
December 11, 2024
Introduction In calculus, derivatives are an extremely useful tool that are used in a variety of problems. In this article, we will specifically learn about taking the derivatives of fractions. Derivatives of Fractions A fraction typically appears as the ratio of two functions in the form $\dfrac{f(x)}{g(x)}$, where \( f(x) \) is the numerator and […]
November 18, 2024
Introduction In calculus, taking the derivative of a function allows us to understand the rate of change of a function. This process allows us to gain information about the nature of a function, giving us a variety of applications to different problems. When we want to take the derivative of a function multiple times, we […]
November 15, 2024
What is Implicit Differentiation? In many calculus problems, you’ll see equations that don’t exactly represent functions. Normally, we’re used to seeing equations like $$y = 2x + 1$$ where $y$ is isolated on one side. However, what if \(x\) and \(y\) are mixed together, like $$x^2 + y^2 = 1 { or } 3x^2y -4x\cos […]
November 7, 2024
Answer \[\begin{align*} \boxed{\frac{d}{dx}(\ln x) = \frac{1}{x}} \end{align*}\] The Derivative of \(\ln x\) The function $\ln x$ is called the natural logarithm function. More specifically, $\ln x = \ln_e x$, where $e \approx 2.718$. The derivative of $\ln x$ is: \[\begin{align*} \frac{d}{dx}(\ln x) = \frac{1}{x} \end{align*}\] However, some sources also use $\log x$ to describe $\ln […]
November 7, 2024
Introduction In calculus, an exponential function refers to any function that is a base with an exponent of some expression of $x$. Examples include $f(x) = 2^x$, $3^x$, $e^{x – 1}$, $5^{\sqrt{x + 1}}$, and so on. Derivatives of exponential functions often appear in calculus. The Key Idea The derivative of an exponential function $f(x) […]
