what is calculus

Calculus is the mathematical study of continuous change. It is a branch of mathematics concerned with instantaneous rates of change (differential calculus) and the summation of infinitely many small factors to determine some whole (integral calculus) . Calculus provides a framework for modeling systems in which there is change, and a way to deduce the predictions of such systems. It is used to construct relatively simple quantitative models of change and to deduce their consequences. Calculus is used in every branch of the physical sciences, actuarial science, computer science, statistics, engineering, economics, business, medicine, demography, and in other fields wherever a problem can be modeled mathematically. Differential calculus is the study of the definition, properties, and applications of the derivative of a function, while integral calculus is the study of the definition, properties, and applications of the integral of a function.