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17.1: Calculus

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  • Page ID
    15020

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    Using the calculus toolbar

    First, open both the calculus and the the symbolic toolbar with File > Toolbars > Calculus, and File > Toolbars > Symbolic.

    clipboard_e96f78aff9a29f7718f9cf40435435c3d.png clipboard_ea18ebfdd6333d2747bab8f1a486971d0.png

    Many of the key concepts from a two-semester sequence of Calculus courses can be found on the calculus toolbar: limits, derivatives (including the gradient), integrals (definite and indefinite), summations and products. The symbol for infinity is also on this toolbar. The symbolic toolbar may look a bit more complicated (it is). We will cover many of the symbolic toolbar buttons in the next section, but in order to complete many of the symbolic calculations using the calculus toolbar, we will need the “Symbolic Evaluation” (the → button) from the symbolic toolbar too. Of course, there is a shortcut for symbolic evaluation: Ctrl + . (hold the Ctrl key and press the period).

    We start with some simple examples.

    Example 17.1.1

    Compute the derivative and integral of x2.

    Solution

    By hand, we know the answers are 2x and x3/3+C. Using Mathcad, we use the symbolic differentiation clipboard_eacffe29073761bba3fe07c92a12647b2.png and indefinite integral clipboard_e8daff3bc6770ca61f29c8f3b4a44b559.png buttons. In each case, we end the calculation with the symbolic evaluation button →.

    clipboard_e573082a03ade46f0c3768bfff0bcfe77.png

    Note that the +C part of the indefinite integral is not shown.

    This page titled 17.1: Calculus is shared under a CC BY-NC 3.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Troy Siemers (APEX Calculus) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.