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Calculus Essentials Textbook

A free, self-paced textbook in 8 chapters. Read a chapter, then drill it with the 100 companion flashcards using spaced repetition.

8 chapters · 100 cards · Updated

Chapters

  1. 1Limits and Continuity

    The limit is the foundational concept that underlies all of calculus. Informally, the limit of \(f(x)\) as \(x\) approaches \(c\) is the value \(L\) that \(f(x)\) approaches as \(x...

  2. 2The Derivative

    The derivative measures instantaneous rate of change. Formally, the derivative of \(f\) at a point \(x\) is defined as \[ f'(x) = \lim_{h \to 0} \frac{f(x+h) - f(x)}{h}, \] provide...

  3. 3Differentiation Rules

    Computing derivatives directly from the limit definition is tedious, so a collection of rules streamlines the process. The Power Rule states that if \(f(x) = x^n\) for any real exp...

  4. 4Applications of the Derivative

    Sometimes the relationship between \(x\) and \(y\) is given implicitly by an equation like \(x^2 + y^2 = 25\) rather than explicitly as \(y = f(x)\). In such cases, implicit differ...

  5. 5Integration and the Fundamental Theorem

    Integration can be viewed as the inverse of differentiation. An indefinite integral \(\int f(x) \, dx\) represents the family of all antiderivatives of \(f\), expressed as \(F(x) +...

  6. 6Integration Techniques

    For many integrals, no single antiderivative rule applies directly, and one must transform the integral into a more tractable form. The most common such technique is u-substitution...

  7. 7Applications of Integration and L'Hopital's Rule

    Integration gives a precise language for measuring accumulation, with practical applications in geometry. The area between two curves \(y = f(x)\) and \(y = g(x)\) is given by \(\i...

  8. 8Infinite Series

    A series \(\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} a_n\) assigns a value to an infinite sum by means of partial sums. If the partial sums \(S_n = a_1 + a_2 + \cdots + a_n\) approach a finite limit as...

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