Question

Is it valid/normal to say "derive this function"? Is this a correct use of the word "derive"?

Answer 1

NOPE

Answer 2

Or do you only say "differentiate this function" or "take the derivative of this function"? This is something I was always a little unclear on...

Answer 3

derive this function is understandable just not clear

Answer 4

According to google dictionary "derive" is a perfectly acceptable term.

https://www.google.com/search?q=define%3Aderive&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=yZB&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=derive&tbs=dfn:1&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=swNvUMevHc_2iQKm9YGQDg&ved=0CB8QkQ4&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=4c814b5607df3525&biw=1280&bih=615

Answer 5

If you are deriving the function, then you are forming it out of other function or functions. You are not doing anything to the derived function itself.

Answer 6

e.g. I can derive sin^2 + cos^2 = 1 from the Pythagorean theorem and definitions of sine and cosine. Differentiating sin^2 + cos^2 = 1 is something different.

Answer 7

If you differentiate a function, you can derive its derivative, but you don't derive a function to find its derivative.

Answer 8

You can derive 2x from x^2 by using differentiation.

Answer 9

^ another good example.

Answer 10

That makes sense. Derive and derivative just seem to go together so well xD

Answer 11

Derive is used quite broadly... Basically it means that you arrive at a new equation/function using some sort of logic.

Answer 12

In general terms (not just mathematics), something is said to be derivative, if it is based off something else.

Answer 13

"The derivative was derived using differentiation." =0

Answer 14

A non-math example: I can write a derivative work of fiction by deriving it from someone else's story.

Answer 15

@eyust707 poetic!

Answer 16

lmao

Answer 17

I think Im gunna make that my profile description