How Do You Calculate A Basic Derivative Of A Function?
Know your algebra. Simplify the function at hand– functions that are not simplified will still yield the same derivative, but it can be much more difficult to calculate. • Example: • Equation to simplify: • (6x + 8x)/2 +17x +4 • Simplifying steps: • (14x)/2 + 17x + 4 • 7x + 17x + 4 • Final result: • 24x + 4 Learn the various forms. • Just a number (e.g. 4) • A number multiplied by a variable with no exponent (e.g. 4x) • A number multiplied by a variable with an exponent (e.g. 4x^2) • Addition (e.g 4x + 4) • Multiplication of variables (e.g. of the form x*x) • Division of variables (e.g. of the form x/x) • Multiply the number by the value of the exponent. Subtract one from the exponent.
