The concept of Derivative is at the core of Calculus and modern mathematics. The definition of the derivative can be approached in two different ways. One is geometrical (as a slope of a curve) and the other one is physical (as a rate of change). Historically there was (and maybe still is) a fight between mathematicians which of the two illustrates the concept of the derivative best and which one is more useful. We will not dwell on this and will introduce both concepts. Our emphasis will be on the use of the derivative as a tool.
**equation author: Hunter Metcalfe