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Learn calculus with online courses and programs

Calculus is the gateway to advanced mathematics. As one of the foundations of modern scientific practice, it’s a vital tool for engineers of all kinds. Learn calculus with online courses delivered through edX.

What is calculus?

Calculus is a branch of mathematics that studies rates of change and areas around curves. From animations to software applications, calculus and its formulas can be found all around us.

Differential calculus involves derivatives, which measure a function’s rate of change at a specific point.1 For example, stock analysts can use derivatives to speculate whether a certain stock will rise or fall in a specific time period.

By contrast, integral calculus involves the measurement of infinitesimal quantities.2 An integral represents an area under a curve on a graph. You can use integral calculus to determine the length of cable needed to connect two electrical substations, with distance represented by a certain function. In a sense, derivatives and integrals are opposites. Together, they form the field of calculus.

In the late 17th century, Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz introduced the concept of calculus independently of one another. Newton’s laws of motion and gravitation are two popular examples of the earliest concepts that led to the development of calculus. Calculus was continually developed over the following centuries, laying the foundation for modern mathematical explorations and physics as we know it.

Today, calculus has countless applications across disciplines and is commonly used in the hard sciences and technical fields such as chemical or environmental engineering. Employers need candidates with strong calculus skills in a variety of industries, including:

  • Medicine: applies calculus formulas to understand relationships between patients and drug absorption, measure organ function, or analyze images.

  • Biological research: relies on calculations to project the growth or decay of bacteria colonies, or to monitor how a patient’s temperature changes as a direct result of a particular medication.

  • Economics: helps lenders calculate the amount of interest to be paid on a loan, business owners increase profits, or manufacturers understand how work hours impact productivity.3

  • Architecture: uses calculus to create scale models, design a symmetrical structure, or achieve balance.4

If you want to work in a field that requires knowledge of this branch of mathematics, an online calculus course can help you expand your mathematical skills.

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Courses

Calculus Applied!

Harvard University

Course
Calculus I: From Functions to Differential Equations

Delft University of Technology

Course
Pre-University Calculus

Delft University of Technology

Course
Mathematics 1 Part 1: Differential Calculus

The London School of Economics and Political Science

Course
Mastering Calculus

Delft University of Technology

Professional Certificate
2 Courses
A-level Mathematics for Year 12 - Course 1: Algebraic Methods, Graphs and Applied Mathematics Methods

Imperial College London

Course
A-level Further Mathematics for Year 12 - Course 1: Complex Numbers, Matrices, Roots of Polynomial Equations and Vectors

Imperial College London

Course
Calculus II: Multivariable Functions

Delft University of Technology

Course
Fundamentals of Financial Mathematics and Capital Budgeting.

New York Institute of Finance

Course
A-level Mathematics for Year 13 - Course 1: Functions, Sequences and Series, and Numerical Methods

Imperial College London

Course
A-level Further Mathematics for Year 13 - Course 1: Differential Equations, Further Integration, Curve Sketching, Complex Numbers, the Vector Product and Further Matrices

Imperial College London

Course
A-level Mathematics for Year 12 - Course 2: Calculus, Newton’s Laws and Hypothesis Testing

Imperial College London

Course
Mathematics 1 Part 2: Integral calculus, algebra, and applications

The London School of Economics and Political Science

Course
A-level Mathematics for Year 13 - Course 2: General Motion, Moments and Equilibrium, The Normal Distribution, Vectors, Differentiation Methods, Integration Methods and Differential Equations

Imperial College London

Course
Effective Thinking Through Mathematics

The University of Texas at Austin

Course
Introduction to Mathematics for Finance and Business

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Course

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Frequently Asked Questions

  1. The Derivative as a Function. LibreTexts Mathematics. Retrieved December 1, 2022.

  2. Integral. Wolfram MathWorld. Retrieved December 1, 2022.

  3. How to Calculate Average Increase. Sciencing. Retrieved December 12, 2022.

  4. Exploring the Mathematics Behind Architecture. The Architect’s Diary. Retrieved December 12, 2022.

  5. 12 Jobs That Use Calculus (Plus Average Salary) Indeed. Retrieved December 19, 2022.

  6. How to Become a Chemical Engineer. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Handbook. Retrieved December 12, 2022.