What is all the fuss about learning calculus? You would think that it’s like learning to speak geek, I mean Greek. There are some Greek symbols you will certainly need to master so maybe it is, a little. Calculus often gets an underserved bad rap as it requires every student to exert just tad bit of effort before yielding. With no effort on your part Calculus will remain elusive and insurmountable.
To get your mind around Calculus, you should understand that calculus has limits. The two main branches of study in calculus are integral and differential calculus. The limits of calculus are merely boundaries that us solve problems which were before thought to be impossible.
The limit or boundary we are after is simply the idea of a point at which no further progression is possible. To better understand limits in calculus we must also learn these key concepts: dependent variables, independent variables and functions.
Let’s talk about what a function is first. A function is the number one concept in virtually all mathematics. Simply put, a function is a mathematical law or rule that helps us understand the interrelationship between two distinct objects. This rule can never be violated and thereby presents the mathematician with firm footing to stand on. The two distinct objects a function governs are the aforementioned dependent and independent variables.
Functions allow the math student to describe mathematically much of what you see in the world around you. Be it business or nature, a function can describe in great detail what is happening beneath the surface of everyday events.
So where do the limits come in? A limit only indicates that while the value of an independent variable gets nearer and nearer to some value, then the dependent variable gets nearer and nearer to some other value.
Another term that you’ll soon become familiar with is derivative. A derivative is merely a unique kind of limit. With derivatives we are able to make even more application to everyday problems. Derivatives help us determine how quickly one unique quantity is change in relation to another at any given point. It’s derivatives that allow us determine just how high a ball will bounce when hurled at a rate of your choosing.
The beauty of calculus is that it helps you describe and understand on a more intimate level exactly what is going on around you in everyday life. Be excited, because studying calculus will open innumerable doors of opportunity for you. Stick around and we are confident these pages will help you find the keys to calculus answers.
