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Single Variable Calculus
Differentiation
01The Derivative as the Slope of the Tangent Line02Secant Lines and the Limit Definition of the Derivative03Differentiating 1/x Straight From the Definition04Tangents to 1/x and the Triangle of Area 205Newton and Leibniz Notation, and the Power RuleProblem set0/10Problem set 20/10MIT problem set0/3
01The Derivative as an Instantaneous Rate of Change02Rates of Change Without Time: Gradient and Sensitivity03Easy Limits, 0/0, and One-Sided Limits04Continuity, Jumps, and Removable Discontinuities05Infinite Discontinuities: 1/x and Its Derivative06Differentiable Implies ContinuousProblem set0/10Problem set 20/10
01Two Kinds of Formula, and the Derivative of Sine02The Derivative of Cosine, and Two Limits at Zero03Bow and Bowstring: Proving the Two Trig Limits04Why the Trig Derivatives Hold Only in Radians05A Geometric Proof: Sine as a Height on the Circle06Finishing the Proof, and the Product and Quotient RulesProblem set0/10Problem set 20/10MIT problem set0/1
01Proving the Product Rule: Change One Factor at a Time02The Quotient Rule, and the Power Rule for Negative Exponents03The Chain Rule: Differentiating a Function of a Function04Higher Derivatives: The Sine Cycle and Three Notations05The nth Derivative of xⁿ Is n Factorial, by InductionProblem set0/10Problem set 20/10MIT problem set0/2
01The Power Rule for Rational Exponents02The Slope of a Circle, Two Ways03Implicit Differentiation of a Quartic Curve04Inverse Functions and the Reflection Across y = x05Derivatives of the Arctangent and ArcsineProblem set0/10Problem set 20/10MIT problem set0/1
01The Derivative of aˣ and the Mystery Number M(a)02Defining e by Slope One, and the Derivative of ln x03M(a) = ln a: Differentiating aˣ and xˣ04Why (1 + 1/n)ⁿ Approaches eProblem set0/10Problem set 20/10MIT problem set0/1
Applications of Differentiation
01Linear Approximation: A Curve Is Its Tangent Line02Five Linear Approximations at Zero03Combining Approximations, from Algebra to GPS Clocks04Quadratic Approximation: The Best-Fit ParabolaProblem set0/10Problem set 20/10MIT problem set0/1
01Linear Approximation as a Proportionality Rule02Quadratic Approximation: Why the ½, and Products03Curve Sketching: The Sign of f′ and Critical Points04Curve Sketching: Ends, Concavity and InflectionProblem set0/10Problem set 20/10MIT problem set0/1
01Sketching Without Critical Points: (x+1)/(x+2)02A Five-Step Curve-Sketching Scheme, Applied to x / ln x03x / ln x: Inflection Point and Where Max and Min Can OccurProblem set0/10Problem set 20/10
01Two Squares From One Wire: The Critical Point Gives the Least Area02The Open Box of Fixed Volume: Least Material When x = 2y03Related Rates: The Police Radar and the Conical TankProblem set0/10Problem set 20/10MIT problem set0/4
01The Hanging Ring: Why the String Makes Equal Angles02Newton's Method: Tangent Lines That Find the Square Root of Five03Why Newton's Method Doubles Its Digits, and How It Fails04The Mean Value Theorem: Somewhere You Hit Your Average Speed05Positive Derivative Means Increasing: Proving eˣ Exceeds 1 + xProblem set0/10Problem set 20/10MIT problem set0/2
Integration
01Differentials: dy = f′(x) dx and the Cube Root of 64.102Antiderivatives Differ Only by a Constant03Integration by Substitution and Advanced GuessingProblem set0/10Problem set 20/10MIT problem set0/1
01Separation of Variables: dy/dx = −xy and the Bell Curve02General Solutions: Signs, Constants and Initial Conditions03Orthogonal Trajectories: Parabolas and Crossing EllipsesProblem set0/10Problem set 20/10MIT problem set0/1
01The Definite Integral: Area as a Limit of Rectangle Sums02Area Under y = x²: Squeezing the Sum of Squares03Sigma Notation and the Area Pattern: b, b²/2, b³/304Riemann Sums: the Definite Integral and a Year of LoansProblem set0/10Problem set 20/10MIT problem set0/1
01The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus: Area in One Line02Net Change and Signed Area: Integrating Velocity03Six Rules for Definite Integrals and Bounds on eᵇ04Substitution in Definite Integrals: Change the LimitsProblem set0/10Problem set 20/10MIT problem set0/1

Five Linear Approximations at Zero

How does expanding at 0 turn sin x, e^x, ln(1+x) and (1+x)^r into easy linear stand-ins, and why is ln(1.1) about 1/10?


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Your summary note

    1. 1

      Sine, cosine and exponential from a table

      Write f(x)≈f(0)+f′(0)xf(x) \approx f(0) + f'(0)xf(x)≈f(0)+f′(0)x, tabulate f(0)f(0)f(0) and f′(0)f'(0)f′(0) for sin⁡x\sin xsinx, cos⁡x\cos xcosx, exe^xex, and read off sin⁡x≈x\sin x \approx xsinx≈x, cos⁡x≈1\cos x \approx 1cosx≈1, ex≈1+xe^x \approx 1 + xex≈1+x.

    2. 2

      Tangent lines at the origin

      Sketch each of the three graphs with its tangent line at x=0x = 0x=0: y=xy = xy=x, the horizontal line y=1y = 1y=1, and y=1+xy = 1 + xy=1+x.

    3. 3

      ln⁡(1+x)≈x\ln(1+x) \approx xln(1+x)≈x and (1+x)r≈1+rx(1+x)^r \approx 1 + rx(1+x)r≈1+rx

      Derive both from f(0)f(0)f(0) and f′(0)f'(0)f′(0), record what goes wrong with ln⁡x\ln xlnx and xrx^rxr at 000, and show ln⁡(1+x)≈x\ln(1+x) \approx xln(1+x)≈x is ln⁡u≈u−1\ln u \approx u - 1lnu≈u−1 with u=1+xu = 1 + xu=1+x.

    4. 4

      Hard left sides, easy right sides

      Estimate ln⁡(1.1)≈110\ln(1.1) \approx \frac{1}{10}ln(1.1)≈101​ from the list, and record for every entry which side needs a calculator and which is simple.

    Attempt 1 of 2