Differential and Derivative

What is the difference between Derivative and Differential?

The main difference lies in their interpretation and purpose. A differential represents an infinitesimal change in the function or variable. whereas a derivative represents the rate of the change of a function at a specific point or over an interval.

How are Differential and Derivative Represented Notationally?

Differentials are denoted by the symbol “d” followed by the variable while derivatives are typically represented using the prime notation.

What do Differential and Derivative Measure?

Differentials measure the change in the dependent variable while derivatives measure the rate of the change of the dependent variable with respect to the independent variable.

Is Differentiate the Same as Derivative?

Derivative of a function is the rate of change of a variable with respect the change of some other variable where as differentiation is the process of finding the derivative.

Difference Between Differential and Derivative

Differential and Derivative both are related but they are not the same. The main difference between differential and derivative is that a differential is an infinitesimal change in a variable, while a derivative is a measure of how much the function changes for its input.

In this article, we will explore the difference between differential and derivative and understand their roles in calculus.