Concept of Derivative Function

The Idea Behind Derivatives

Imagine you're riding a bicycle on a hilly road. Sometimes the road is steep, and other times it's flat. The slope of the road changes at every point you pass. In mathematics, the graph of a function can be thought of as this hilly road.

For a straight line, the slope is always the same at every point. However, for a curved line, the slope is constantly changing. Well, a derivative is a powerful tool in mathematics that allows us to find the precise slope or rate of change at one specific point on a curve.

Gradient of a Secant Line

To understand the concept of a derivative, let's start with something simpler: a secant line (or a cutting line). A secant line is a straight line that intersects a curve at two different points.

Suppose we have a curve from the function $y = f(x)$. We pick two points on that curve, let's call them point $P(x, f(x))$ and point $Q(x+\Delta x, f(x+\Delta x))$. Here, $\Delta x$ (read "delta x") represents a small change in the value of $x$.

The slope (gradient) of the secant line passing through points $P$ and $Q$ can be calculated with a formula we already know:

The gradient of this secant line gives us an idea of the average rate of change of the function $f(x)$ between points $P$ and $Q$.

From Secant Line to Tangent Line

Now, what happens if we move point $Q$ closer and closer to point $P$? The distance between them, which is $\Delta x$, will become very small, approaching zero.

When $\Delta x \to 0$ (read "delta x approaches zero"), the secant line we have will gradually transform into a tangent line. A tangent line is a line that touches the curve at exactly one point (in this case, point $P$).

The slope of this tangent line is what truly represents the slope of the curve at point $P$. To find it, we use the concept of a limit.

Definition of the Derivative

The limit of the gradient of the secant line as $\Delta x$ approaches zero is so important that it is given a special name: the derivative.

The derivative of a function $f(x)$, denoted as $f'(x)$ (read "f prime x"), is defined as:

The process of finding this derivative is called differentiation.

The derivative $f'(x)$ is essentially a new function that tells us the instantaneous rate of change (or the slope of the tangent line) of the original function $f(x)$ at every point $x$ where the limit exists. This is the foundation of differential calculus.