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The Changing Concept of Change: The Derivative from Fermat to Weierstrass

by Judith V. Grabiner

This article originally appeared in:
Mathematics Magazine
September, 1983

Subject classification(s): Calculus | Single Variable Calculus | Differentiation
Applicable Course(s): 3.0 Calculus | 3.1 Mainstream Calculus I | 3.4 Non-mainstream Calc I | 4.8 History of Math

The author reviews the history of the derivative from use, through discovery, exploration, and development, to formal definition.


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Capsule Course Topic(s):
One-Variable Calculus | History of Calculus
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