title: Foundations of Differential Calculus
author: Euler
description: Text: English (translation)<br /> Original Language: Latin
zlib_text: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  **Foundations of**
  
  
  **Differential Calculus**
  
  
  _Euler_
  
  
  **Springer**
  
  
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  Preface
  
  
  What differential calculus, and, in general, analysis of the infinite, might
  be can hardly be explained to those innocent of any knowledge of it. Nor can
  we here offer a definition at the beginning of this dissertation as is
  sometimes done in other disciplines. It is not that there is no clear
  definition of this calculus; rather, the fact is that in order to understand
  the definition there are concepts that must first be understood. Besides those
  ideas in common usage, there are also others from finite analysis that are
  much less common and are usually explained in the course of the development of
  the differential calculus. For this reason, it is not possible to understand a
  definition before its principles are sufficiently clearly seen.
  
  
  In the first place, this calculus is concer