Increment
When the value of in a function changes from to , the function value changes from to .
The change in the value of , , is called the increment of .
The change in the value of , , is called the increment of .
These are denoted symbolically as and , respectively. In other words:
Average Rate of Change
When the value of in a function changes from to , the ratio of the increment of to the increment of is as follows:
This is called the average rate of change of the function when changes from to .
Differentiation and the Geometrical Meaning of the Derivative
The average rate of change of the function when changes from to is:
If the limit of this average rate of change as exists:
this limit is called the instantaneous rate of change or the derivative of the function at , and it is denoted as .
The instantaneous rate of change or the derivative of the function at is:
Geometrical Meaning of the Derivative
The derivative of the function at is the slope of the tangent line at the point on the curve .
Differentiability and Continuity
If the derivative of the function exists at , then the function is said to be differentiable at .
If a function is differentiable at , then is also continuous at .
However, the converse is not true. In other words, a function can be continuous at but not differentiable at .