# Why isn't implicit differentiation using infinitesimals taught earlier?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-implicit-differentiation-using-infinitesimals-taught-earlier/830933>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 11, 2019, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-implicit-differentiation-using-infinitesimals-taught-earlier/830933 "2019-03-11T06:44:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 56

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**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-implicit-differentiation-using-infinitesimals-taught-earlier/830933/56 "2019-03-12T18:23:44Z")

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To play devil’s advocate, why should this be taught at all? In my various careers in retail, banking and insurance operations, including data analytics, I have never needed this level of math. I would daresay that 90+% of the population falls into the same category. Pre-college/university education can’t address everything, wouldn’t that time be better spent teaching things that the majority will use directly or indirectly in their life/career?

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