← Back to learning objective

Derivative of a constant function

Let f(x)=7f(x) = 7. Find f′(x)f'(x).

Hint

Recall that a constant function never changes value as xx changes, so think about what its rate of change must be. The constant rule states ddx[c]=0\frac{d}{dx}[c] = 0 for any constant cc.

Step-by-step solution

The function f(x)=7f(x) = 7 is a constant function — its output is always 77 regardless of the value of xx. Since the graph of ff is a horizontal line, its slope at every point is 00.

By the constant rule, ddx[c]=0\frac{d}{dx}[c] = 0 for any constant cc. Applying this with c=7c = 7 gives f′(x)=0f'(x) = 0.

Related problems

Practice similar Calculus problems interactively.

Start Closing the Gap