MEPX
Chapter 7 of 10All chapters

Chapter 7 of 10

The rules, in outline

What the mechanics actually say.

A few patterns

The power rule handles polynomials, the product and quotient rules handle multiplied and divided functions, and the chain rule handles a function inside another.

  • The chain rule is the one that matters most, because real models are nested.
  • Exponentials and trigonometric functions have derivatives worth memorising.

Doing it by machine

Software differentiates and integrates symbolically far better than a person. Understanding what the answer means is the part that stays with you.