Between the power rule and the basic definition of the derivative of a constant, a great number of polynomial derivatives can be identified with little effort - often in your head! (The Power Rule) If...Between the power rule and the basic definition of the derivative of a constant, a great number of polynomial derivatives can be identified with little effort - often in your head! (The Power Rule) If n is a positive integer, then for all real values of x \[ \frac{d}{dx}[x^n]=nx^{n-1} \nonumber\] The derivative of a function is the slope of the line tangent to the function at a given point on the graph.
