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FutureLearn

Applications of Calculus

Boxplay via FutureLearn

Overview

Discover the real-world applications of calculus and find meaning in maths

On this three-week course, you’ll learn how to solve complex mathematical equations whilst exploring the impact calculus has on our daily lives. You’ll investigate limits, derivatives, and integrals, addressing areas of calculus that learners often find most difficult.

Explore key concepts in calculus, guided by experts from leading universities

On this course from BoxPlay, you’ll encounter quirky characters and fun animations, whilst engaging with content developed with maths experts from leading universities including Imperial College London and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, preparing you for further study at the very highest level.

Learn how calculus can help solve problems from the every day to the extraordinary

From designing video games, to building rockets, to monitoring endangered animal populations, calculus is used in all kinds of STEM careers.

Using engaging videos and relatable scenarios, you’ll explore rules of differentiation, mean value theorem, and how to use derivatives to analyse graphs. You’ll also delve into the applications of integrals, discovering how they are used in innovative creations and futuristic projects.

Improve your knowledge of advanced mathematics and prepare for a career in STEM

You’ll discover how calculus is used by scientists to unravel the mysteries of the universe, learning how to calculate limits of functions, predict and explain behaviour using graphs, and explain asymptotic and unbounded behaviour.

Using this knowledge, you’ll be able to find unknown values even when they are infinite, giving you insights into the everyday work of a rocket scientist.

By the end of this course, you’ll have furthered your knowledge of the great calculus, understanding key concepts and their real-world applications in our ever-changing world.

This course is designed for anyone wanting to improve their knowledge of calculus and its real-world applications.

It’s particularly suitable for STEM students who want to further their understanding of calculus concepts in preparation for further study at university.

Syllabus

  • Derivatives
    • Introduction to derivatives
    • What are derivatives?
    • Acceleration, optimization, and rates
    • Mean value, tangents, and differential equations
    • Rules, higher order derivatives, and graphing
    • Differential equations and the chain rule
  • Integrals
    • Introduction to integrals
    • Rules of integration
    • Sums and slicing
    • Averages and discontinuity
  • Limits
    • Introduction to limits
    • Limits and infinity
    • Beyond limits
    • Test and wrap-up

Taught by

Astrid deRidder

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