Calculus & Numerical Methods
Numerical Derivative
Approximate f'(x) using central differences.
Formula
Formula
f'(x) ≈ f(x+h) − f(x−h)2h
Variables
| Symbol | Definition | Type & range | Units | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| f | function of x | expression / text | x | input |
| x | evaluation point | real number (ℝ) | — | input |
| h | small step | computed result | — | result |
Try it yourself
Interactive calculator
Worked examples
Example 1
Givenf(x) = x*x*x, x = 2
Result12
Example 2
Givenf(x) = sin(x), x = 0
Result1