Differentiation - IGCSE Maths Definition

What is differentiation in IGCSE maths?

In IGCSE maths, differentiation is the process of finding the rate at which a function changes at a given point by calculating the derivative.

The derivative is also known as the gradient function and represents the gradient (or slope) of the function's graph at a particular point.

The gradient function is written as .

The general rule of differentiation is:

For a function in the form of a power of :

the gradient function is:

Differentiation is useful for determining how one quantity changes in relation to another, such as speed, acceleration, or cost. This enables you to solve problems involving motion, growth, and optimisation, which are essential topics in mathematics and its real-world applications.

Differentiation revision resources to ace your exams

You can find out more about differentiation and how it can be used, by reading our revision notes. To test your knowledge, try our exam questions in the differentiation section.

For quick-fire IGCSE maths revision, use our collection of interactive flashcards for IGCSE maths. We also have past papers for your exam practice.

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