Calculus For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 20

Ten Things to Remember

This chapter contains ten things you should definitely remember. That’s not too much to ask, is it? If your mind is already crammed to capacity, you can make some room by first reading Chapter 21, “Ten Things to Forget.”

Your Sunglasses

If you’re going to have to study calculus, you might as well look good.

If you wear sunglasses and a pocket protector, it’ll ruin the effect.

a² - b²=(a-b)(a+b)

This factor pattern is quasi-ubiquitous and somewhat omnipresent; it’s used in a plethora of problems and forgetting it will cause a myriad of mistakes. In short, it’s huge. Don’t forget it.

, but Is Undefined

, and so 4 times 2 is 8. If had an answer, that answer times zero would have to equal 5. But that’s impossible, making undefined.

Anything⁰=1

The only exception is , which is undefined. The rule holds for everything else, including negatives and fractions. ...