Posted: Feb 16, 2012 1:12 pm
CarlPierce wrote:You use the small change idea to find the gradient at a particular point.
And the gradient at any point will give you the general rule?
CarlPierce wrote:The idea being that the smaller and smaller the change is the better and better the answer is
You mean as dx tends towards zero, then ignoring the dx^2 term becomes a better approximation, giving a more accurate answer?
I think I have it
My maths is by no means bad, but it is very piecemeal. I haven't studied maths formally since I was 16 but I've picked up bits here and there throughout my degree and Ph.D. It's very satisfying to have some of the many gaps filled in.