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In calculus, a branch of mathematics, the derivative is a measurement of how a function
changes when the values of its inputs change. The derivative of a
function at a chosen input value describes the behavior of the function
near that input value. For a real-valued function of a single real variable, the derivative at a point equals the slope of the tangent line to the graph of the function at that point. In general, the derivative of a function at a point determines the best linear approximation to the function at that point.
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