# Math Help - Differentiation by first principles?!?

1. ## Differentiation by first principles?!?

Hey everyone
So I had my first claculus test today and it was, well...hard! I just don't understand differentiation by first principles. I've tried various methods but it's just not making any sense to me. Does anyone know how to explain the concept in a fairly simple way that's easy to understand.
Any help would be much appreciated
Thanks

2. Originally Posted by travntill
Hey everyone
So I had my first claculus test today and it was, well...hard! I just don't understand differentiation by first principles. I've tried various methods but it's just not making any sense to me. Does anyone know how to explain the concept in a fairly simple way that's easy to understand.
Any help would be much appreciated
Thanks

3. um thanks???

4. I suggest that you read 1st and 2nd Post of The Perfect Hacker in this tutorial of his
(and thank him if you find it useful )
http://www.mathhelpforum.com/math-he...-tutorial.html

5. Originally Posted by travntill
um thanks???
Did you try reading through that tutorial (not the TPH one, the first one)?

6. Originally Posted by travntill
Hey everyone
So I had my first claculus test today and it was, well...hard! I just don't understand differentiation by first principles. I've tried various methods but it's just not making any sense to me. Does anyone know how to explain the concept in a fairly simple way that's easy to understand.
Any help would be much appreciated
Thanks
Differentiation by first priciples... Would you be refering to

Definition of derivative: $\lim_{\Delta{x}\to0}\frac{\Delta{y}}{\Delta{x}}$ ? Where y is a function of x?