

Most often in business calculus, you do not work with trigonometric functions like sin(x) or cos(x). One of the key differences is trigonometry.

Integration – integrals are used to understand the area under a graph and to “undo” derivatives.You can also use the same ideas in application problems, like finding the maximum profit (a natural application in a business calculus course!) Derivative applications – using derivatives, it is possible to understand the graphs functions in a way you couldn’t in previous courses, and this application is studied in both business calculus and calc 1.

They are a central part of any introductory calculus course and so will be a big part of both classes. Derivatives – derivatives are a way of understanding rates of change.You will be finding limits using graphs and using algebraic techniques. Limits – this is all about understanding the behavior of functions f(x) as they approach certain values of x.In your first calculus course, you can expect to cover these main topics: What topics are covered in both courses? Which course you take often depends on your major and what plans you may have for graduate school or further education. However, the focus of the courses are different and so are some of the main skills covered. There is a lot of common ground between business calculus, sometimes called “applied calculus” or “calculus for business and the social sciences”, and calculus or “calc 1”.
