Interactive Calculus Intuition

Derivatives = local slope stories. Integrals = accumulated area stories.

1) Derivative: slope as a local story

Intuition: the derivative answers, “If I move a tiny bit in x, how fast does y change right here?” The tangent line is the best straight-line story of the curve at that point.

2) Integral: area as an accumulation story

Intuition: the integral answers, “How much total effect built up between a and b?” It’s an accumulation of many tiny contributions f(x)·dx.