A Piece of the Pi: mathematics explained

A Piece of the Pi: mathematics explained

The arithmetic derivative

Richard Green's avatar
Richard Green
Apr 21, 2024
∙ Paid
7
3
Share

Can you differentiate a number and get a nonzero answer? You can't with the usual kind of differentiation, but you can with the “arithmetic derivative”. The basic version of the arithmetic derivative takes positive integers as inputs. The only requirements are the two shown in the picture: (1) the derivative of a prime number is 1, and (2) the product r…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to A Piece of the Pi: mathematics explained to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 A Piece of the Pi
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture