What is Calculus?

From Latin, calculus, a small stone used for counting

A branch of mathematics including limits, derivatives,
integrals, and infinite sums
Used in science, economics, and engineering
Builds on algebra, geometry, and trig with two major
branches differential calculus and integral calculus
Enter Newton
Isaac Newton (English) is credited with many of the
beginnings of calculus. He introduced product rule,
chain rule and higher derivatives to solve physics
problems.
He replaced the calculus of infinitesimals with
geometric representations.
He used calculus to explain many physics problems in
his book Principia Mathematica, however he had
developed many other calculus explanations that he
did not formally publish.
and Leibniz
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (German) systemized the
ideas of calculus of infinitesimals. Unlike Newton,
Leibniz provided a clear set of rules to manipulate
infinitesimals.
Leibniz spent time determining appropriate
symbols and paid more attention to formality.
His work leads to formulas for product and chain
rule as well as rules for derivatives and integrals.
Newton vs. Leibniz
There was much controversy over who (and thus which
country) should be credited with calculus since both worked
at the same time.
Newton derived his results first, but Leibniz published first.
Newton vs. Leibniz
Newton claimed Leibniz stole ideas from unpublished notes
written to the Royal Society.
This divided English-speaking math and continental math for
many years.
Newton vs. Leibniz
Today it is known that Newton began his work with
derivatives and Leibniz began with integrals. Both arrived at
the same conclusions independently.
The name of the study was given by Leibniz, Newton called it
the science of fluxions.
Calculus in other words
It is the mathematics of change
It is the mathematics of
tangent lines
slopes
areas
volumes
It enables us to model real life situations
It is dynamic
In contrast to algebra/precalc which is static
Contrasting Algebra & Calculus





Use f(x) to find the height of the
curve at x = c





Find the limit of f(x) as x
approaches c
Contrasting Algebra & Calculus





Find the average rate of change
between
t = a and t = b





Find the instantaneous rate of
change at t = c
Contrasting Algebra & Calculus






Area of a rectangle






Area between two curves
Tangent Line Problem
Approximate slope of tangent to a line
Start with slope of secant line
secant
( ) ( ) f x x f x
m
x
+ A
=
A
Tangent Line Problem
Now allow the x to get smaller
tangent
0
( ) ( )
lim
x
f x x f x
m
x
A
+ A
| |
=
|
A
\ .
The Area Problem
We seek the area under a curve, the graph f(x)

We approximate
that area with
a number of
rectangles
Sum = 31.9
Actual = 33.33
The Area Problem
The approximation is improved by increasing the number of
rectangles

Number of
rectangles = 10
Sum = 32.92
Actual = 33.33
The Area Problem
The approximation is improved by increasing the number of
rectangles

Number of
rectangles = 25
Sum = 33.19
Actual = 33.33