# mathematics

Abstract It is easily shown that there are two kinds of addition for rates: arithmetic addition and reciprocal addition. The kind of addition required depends on whether the variable in common has the same units as the denominator or numerator. This is shown and illustrated with rates of speed and velocity. Several examples are given …

This post relates to the previous post Adding and Averaging Rates. A rate is a fraction, though the denominator is often one (a unit rate). In general a rate could be symbolized as Δx/Δy. And so the general addition of rates follows the general addition of fractions: If, as is usual, the denominator is the …

## Rates and inverses

This post is the latest in a series on rates. A rate is a variable quantity measured with respect to a quantity determined independently. A rate is expressed as a ratio of the quantity measured and the independent quantity. A rate of change is a difference of quantities measured with respect to a difference of …

## Reciprocal sum of vectors

This post is a slight modification of section 2.0 “The Parallel Sum of Vectors” from W. N. Anderson & G. E. Trapp (1987) “The harmonic and geometric mean of vectors”, Linear and Multilinear Algebra, 22:2, 199-210. We will consider vectors in a real N dimensional inner product space, although some of the results given herein …

## Rates of change

The difference quotient is the average rate of change of a function between two points: The instantaneous rate of change is the limit of the difference quotient as t1 and t0 approach each other, which is the derivative of f(t) at that point, denoted by f′(t). Derivatives are added by arithmetic addition, i.e., if f(t) …

## Arithmetic of rates

Euclid wrote that “A ratio is a relation in respect of size between two magnitudes of the same kind.” Magnitudes of different kinds were not considered until Galileo. A ratio between magnitudes a and b is expressed as either a : b or b : a. A quotient is the result of dividing a dividend …

## Two kinds of vector rates

This post builds on the previous one here. Vector rates rates of change are of two kinds. An ordinary rate for the vector change of f relative to a unit of x is defined as: The reciprocal vector rate is the vector reciprocal of an ordinary rate with a vector change of g relative to …

## Two kinds of rates

Rates of change are of two kinds. An ordinary rate for the change of f relative to a unit of x is defined as: The reciprocal rate is the reciprocal of an ordinary rate with a change of g relative to a unit of x is defined as: An ordinary rate has its independent variable …

## From ratios to quotients

Ratios and proportions are symmetric. A:B ≡ B:A and A:B :: C:D iff C:D :: A:B. But when ratios are converted to quotients or fractions, they are no longer symmetric. There must be a convention as to which is the denominator and which is the numerator. In an ordinary fraction or quotient or rate the …

## Reciprocal derivative

The reciprocal difference quotient is or The reciprocal derivative of f(x), symbolized by a reversed prime, is the limit of the reciprocal difference quotient as x1 and x2 approach x: or as h approaches zero: The reciprocal derivative of a linear function, f(x) = ax + b, is The reciprocal derivative of a power function, …