 What is calculus? It's a branch of mathematics that deals with rates of change; for example, calculating the change in velocity of a car rolling to a stop at a red light. Calculus is about motion. When you think about all the math learned in high school before calculus — basic arithmetic, decimals & fractions, equations, functions, trigonometry — you’ll realize that all of it is static. There’s no motion implied in the arithmetic or algebra branches of math. What is calculus used for? Calculus is used to model processes in real-life applications requiring non-static quantities. Calculus can be used to:
Real-world calculus applications From finding areas and volumes of curved shapes and solids, to the tension of the wires holding up the Golden Gate Bridge, calculus is all around you! And just like regular mathematics, calculus can be broken down into different branches. Let’s take a look at each: Basic calculus This fundamental level is about learning about, or reviewing your knowledge of functions, inverse functions, rational functions, and complex numbers. Differential calculus Differential calculus helps you find the slope of curves, and the rate at which quantities change. This is where you’ll learn about limits, derivatives, functions, and parametric equations. Integral and differential calculus Differential calculus joins with integral calculus to form the two main sub-branches of calculus as a mathematical field. While differential calculus deals mainly with derivatives, integral calculus is used to find the area near a curve, either above or below. To accomplish this, you’ll learn about integrals, differential equations, and series. Key calculus terms
Watch a short video for a more detailed look at what calculus is all about: Calculus in a nutshell |