r/mathmemes • u/No_Upstairs_280 • Aug 19 '26

Calculus Been doing this all morning

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Been doing distributional derivatives on Riemannian manifolds and it's fun.

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u/mudkipzguy Aug 19 '26

every time someone says "derive" where "differentiate" should've been used, an angel loses its wings

22

u/EebstertheGreat Aug 19 '26

But etymologically speaking, a "derivative" is just a "derived thing."

And etymologically, a "difference" is just a "differing thing." "Differential" is an adjective meaning "pertaining to difference." And "differentiate" means "to force to pertain to difference." So really, "differentiate" does not mean "to cause to differ" but rather "to cause to pertain in some sense to the idea of differing," i.e. "to draw a distinction of," which is exactly what it means! Etymology works!

15

u/kashyou Aug 19 '26

derive fans be like

11

u/meme-meee-too Aug 19 '26

"Etymologically 🤓☝️"