differential calculus
differential calculus — noun
1. a field of mathematics that examines how quickly one thing changes when somethin
a field of mathematics that examines how quickly one thing changes when something else changes — for example, finding the speed of a falling object at a particular instant, or measuring how fast the temperature of a hot drink drops over time — using mathematical tools called derivatives.
Talia learned differential calculus in her second year of university study.
noun phrase as object of 'learned'
The engineering team used differential calculus to find the rocket's speed during takeoff.
used + infinitive to express purpose
In differential calculus, a derivative shows how steep a curve is at a chosen point.
Aaron used differential calculus to work out how fast water was flowing from the pipe.
Differential calculus helps weather scientists predict how quickly a storm's wind will grow stronger.
- calculus
broader term that includes both differential and integral calculus
- integral calculus
the other main branch of calculus, concerned with areas, volumes, and accumulated totals
用法筆記
Differential calculus is one of the two main branches of calculus, the other being integral calculus. Though the concepts are taught in some advanced high school programmes, the term is most commonly encountered in university-level mathematics, physics, and engineering courses.