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- For other uses of the term calculus see calculus (disambiguation)
Calculus is a branch of mathematics, developed from algebra and geometry, involving two major complementary ideas: The first, called differential calculus is a theory about rates of change, and involves the method of differentiation; in terms of mathematical functions, velocity, acceleration, and slopes of curves at a given point can all be discussed on a common symbolic basis. The second, called integral calculus, involves the idea of integration, and uses a general idea of area bounded by the graph of a function, to include related concepts such as volume.
The two concepts define inverse operations, in a sense made quite precise by the fundamental theorem of calculusThe fundamental theorem of calculus is the statement that the two central operations of calculus, differentiation and integration, are inverses of each other. This means that if a continuous function is first integrated and then differentiated, the origin. This means that either may in fact be given priority, but the usual educational approach is to introduce differential calculus first.
