VCE Together Year 12 Mathematical Methods: Tangents and the Derivative Function

Mathematical Methods

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Tangents and the Derivative Function

How is the Derivative the Gradient of the Tangent of the Graph?

In this post, we interpret the derivative as the gradient of the tangent to the graph of y=f(x) at a point x , as a part of the VCE Maths Methods course Tangents and the Derivative Function under the topic Calculus and sub-part Differentiation.

The derivative tells us the rate of change of a function at any point. This rate of change is the same as the gradient of the tangent at any of the same points. This is explored in this video.

 

This video goes into further detail about how the derivative is interpreted as the slope of the tangent line, giving visual and graphical examples.

How Can I Use the Derivative?

This video explains how to use the derivative to find the equation of the tangent.

 

Want to learn more? Check out more of our VCE Mathematics resources here!

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