Hi,
I am a newbie to calculus and having trouble with understanding need for calculus. My view was that all information can be inferred from a algebraic equation or a function. For example, maxima , minima/increasing/decreasing can be directly inferred from graph. Why derivatives are required in the first place?
Secondly what is the need to express newton's law of cooling and radioactive decay with differential equation. Everything can be inferred from the exponential function. In fact most of the numerical's requires the use of a function and not the derivative. In essence, I am unable to understand the need to model a physical situation using derivatives. Just plot the graph and all we need is contained in this graph. ( I still do not understand the need for instantaneous rate of change, I do not think we use it practically in real life). Any specific example where use of derivatives have an edge over simple algebraic function would be of great help
I am a newbie to calculus and having trouble with understanding need for calculus. My view was that all information can be inferred from a algebraic equation or a function. For example, maxima , minima/increasing/decreasing can be directly inferred from graph. Why derivatives are required in the first place?
Secondly what is the need to express newton's law of cooling and radioactive decay with differential equation. Everything can be inferred from the exponential function. In fact most of the numerical's requires the use of a function and not the derivative. In essence, I am unable to understand the need to model a physical situation using derivatives. Just plot the graph and all we need is contained in this graph. ( I still do not understand the need for instantaneous rate of change, I do not think we use it practically in real life). Any specific example where use of derivatives have an edge over simple algebraic function would be of great help