Calculating Higher Order Derivatives

Definition

Calculating higher order derivatives involves finding successive derivatives of a function. For example, if you find the first derivative, you can then find its derivative (the second derivative), and so on.

Related terms

Second Derivative Test:

The second derivative test is used to determine whether a critical point on a graph corresponds to a maximum or minimum value.

Concavity:

Concavity refers to the shape or curvature of a graph. A function can be concave up (opening upwards) or concave down (opening downwards).

Taylor Series:

A Taylor series is an expansion of a function into an infinite sum of terms that are calculated using its derivatives at one point. It allows us to approximate functions with polynomials.