2021 Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education Reports
2021
N/A
What is Instantaneous Rate of Change?
Page: 368
The purpose of this study is to examine students’ meanings for the derivative at a given input value. While students may verbally state that the derivative represents instantaneous rate of change, that does not imply that they have a coherent meaning for the difference quotient as an average rate of change. This study explores students’ responses to a typical calculus 1 problem that requires the use of derivatives to determine a linear approximation. This study analyzes student responses about instantaneous rate of change and the differences in meanings that students may hold about it.