Calculus Vocabulary

Alphabetical Listing

Absolute convergence: A series that converges when all values are replaced by their absolute
values.

Anti-derivative: A function that has a given function as its derivative.

For example, F(x) = x3 – 8 is an anti-derivative of f(x) = 3x2.

Approximating sum: A Riemann sum used to approximate the value of a definite integral.

Area between curves: If two functions exist such that f1 ( x) ≥ f 2 ( x) for all x on the closed
interval, [a,b], then the area bounded by the two curves is given by A = ∫ ( f1 ( x) − f 2 ( x))dx .
b

integral Area = ∫ f ( x)dx . This formula gives a positive result for a graph above the x-axis, and a
Area under a curve: The area between the graph of y = f(x) and the x-axis is given by the definite
b

a
negative result for a graph below the x-axis.

Asymptote: A line or curve that the graph of a relation approaches more and more closely the
further the graph is followed.

Note: Sometimes a graph will cross a horizontal asymptote or an oblique asymptote. The graph of
a function, however, will never cross a vertical asymptote.

Bounded Function: A function with a range that is a bounded set is called a bounded function.
The range must have both an upper bound and a lower bound.
Centroid: For a triangle, the centroid is the point at which the three medians intersect. In general,
the centroid is the center of mass of a figure of uniform (constant) density.

Common Logarithm: The logarithm base 10 of a number. That is, the power of 10 necessary to
equal a given number. The common logarithm of x is written log x. For example, log 100 is 2 since
102 = 100.

Concave Down: The appearance of a graph if the second derivative is negative on the interval.
The curve below illustrates a curve that has a second derivative equal to a negative value for all
real numbers and is therefore concave down.

Concave Up: The appearance of a graph if the second derivative is positive on the interval. The
curve below illustrates a curve that has second derivative equal to positive value for all real
numbers and is therefore concave up.

Constant Function: A function of the form y = k or f(x) = k where k is a constant, such as y = –2.

Constant of Integration: If a function f(x) is defined on an interval and F(x) is an anti-derivative of

f(x), then the set of all anti-derivatives of f(x) is given by the functions F(x) + C, where C is an
arbitrary constant called the constant of integration.

Continuous function: A function with a connected graph.

Decreasing Function: A function with a graph that moves downward as it is followed from left to
right. For example, any line with a negative slope is decreasing.

Note: If a function is differentiable, then it is decreasing at all points where its derivative is
negative.

written ∫ f ( x)dx . Definite integrals are used to find the area between the graph of a function and
Definite Integral: An integral which is evaluated over an interval. A definite integral is
b

a
the x-axis. There are many other applications.

Formally, a definite integral is the limit of a Riemann sum as the norm of the partition approaches
zero. That is:

∫ ∑ f (ck )( xk − xk −a )
∞
f ( x)dx =
b
lim
a
norm → 0 k =1

∫x dx = x 3 |52 = (5) 3 − (2) 3 = = 39

5
2 1 1 1 117
Example:
2
3 3 3 3

Derivative: A function which gives the slope of a curve. The derivative of a function f at a point x
is commonly written f '(x). The formulas to determine a derivative are given by the following:
and

Differential Equation: An equation showing a relationship between a function and its

derivative(s).

For example:

is a differential equation with solutions y = Ce–x.

Displacement: A net change in position.

For example, in the interval from time t to time t + ∆t a body moves from position s = f (t ) to
position s + ∆s = f (t + ∆t ) for a net change in position, or displacement, of ∆s = f (t + ∆t ) − f (t ) .

Extrema: Maximum or minimum values of a function.

Force: A force is a push or pull upon an object resulting from the object's interaction with another
object
Frustum: A truncated cone or pyramid in which the plane cutting off the apex is parallel to the
base.

Geometric Series: A series such as 2 + 6 + 18 + 54 + 162 or which has a

constant ratio between terms. The first term is a1, the common ratio is r, and the number of terms is
n.

Harmonic Series: The series . Note: The harmonic series diverges. Its
sequence of partial sums is unbounded.

Homogeneous: A system, usually a linear system, in which every constant term is zero.

Increasing Function: A function with a graph that goes up as it is followed from left to right is an
increasing function. For example, any line with a positive slope is increasing.

The indefinite integral of f(x) is written as: ∫ f ( x)dx .

Indefinite Integral: The family of functions that have a given function as a common derivative.

Infinite Series: A series that has no last term, such as . The sum of an infinite
series is defined as the limit of the sequence of partial sums.

Initial Condition: The condition that y = y 0 when x = x0 for the curve y = F ( x) + ( y 0 − F ( x0 )) that
passes through ( x0 , y 0 ) . The name comes from problems in which time is the independent
variable and y 0 is the velocity or the position of a moving body at an initial time x0 .

Integrand: The function being integrated in either a definite or indefinite integral.

Example: x 2 cos 3 x is the integrand in ∫ x 2 cos 3 xdx .

Interval: The set of all real numbers between two given numbers. The two numbers on the ends
are the endpoints. The endpoints might or might not be included in the interval depending whether
the interval is open, closed, or half-open (same as half-closed).

Lateral Surface Area: Lateral surface area is the sum of the areas of all sides of a three
dimensional object not including the base.
Limit: The value that a function or expression approaches as the domain variable(s) approach a
specific value. Limits are written in the form . For example, the limit of as x approaches
3 is . This is written as : .

Limits of Integration: For the definite integral ∫ f ( x)dx , the bounds (or limits) of integration are a
b

a
and b.

Local Maximum: The highest point in a particular section of a graph. It is also known as a
relative maximum.

Note: The first derivative test and the second derivative test are common methods used to find
maximum values of a function.

Local Minimum: The lowest point in a particular section of a graph. It is also known as a relative
minimum.

Note: The first derivative test and the second derivative test are common methods used to find
minimum values of a function.

Logarithm: The logarithm base b of a number x is the power to which b must be raised in order to
equal x. This is written logb x. For example: log2 8 equals 3 since 23 = 8.

Natural Logarithm: The logarithm base e of a number. That is, the power of e necessary to equal
a given number. The natural logarithm of x is written ln x. For example, ln 8 is 2.0794415... since
e2.0794415... = 8.
Oblique Asymptote: A line that is neither vertical nor horizontal which a graph approaches but
does not cross.

Point of Inflection: A point at which a curve changes from concave up to concave down, or vice-
versa. The second derivative of the function is zero or undefined at a point of inflection.

Note: If a function has a second derivative, the value of the second derivative is either 0 or
undefined at each of the function's inflection points.

Power Function: A function of the form y = xb where b is a real number.

Recursive Formula: For a sequence a1, a2, a3, . . . , an, . . . a recursive formula is a formula that
requires the computation of all previous terms in order to find the value of an .

Note: Recursion is an example of an iterative procedure.

Related Rates: Related rates are a class of problems in which rates of change are related by
means of differentiation. Standard examples include water dripping from a cone-shaped tank and a
man’s shadow lengthening as he walks away from a street lamp.

Sequence: A list of numbers set apart by commas, such as 1, 3, 5, 7, . . .

Series: The sum of a list of numbers in a sequence.

Solution: A value for the variable(s) that makes an equation or inequality true.

integral, ∫ f ( x)dx , the dx tells us that we will integrate with respect to x; therefore, x is the variable
Variable of Integration: The variable that integration will take respect with. In the indefinite

of integration.