A real-valued function f is n-times differentiable on the set S if S has the unique
differentiability property and, for every m < n, the m-th iterated derivative of f within
S is itself differentiable on S. Equivalently, the derivatives f', f'', …, f^{(n)} all exist
at every point of S.
Instances For
Taylor's theorem (Lagrange form of the remainder). Suppose f : ℝ → ℝ is n times
continuously differentiable on [x₀, x] and its n-th derivative is differentiable on the open
interval (x₀, x). Then there exists c ∈ (x₀, x) such that
f(x) = ∑_{k=0}^{n} f^{(k)}(x₀)/k! · (x - x₀)^k + f^{(n+1)}(c)/(n+1)! · (x - x₀)^{n+1}.
That is, f(x) equals the n-th order Taylor polynomial at x₀ plus the Lagrange remainder
term evaluated at some intermediate point c.
Second derivative test for a strict local minimum. If f : ℝ → ℝ is twice continuously
differentiable at x₀, with f'(x₀) = 0 and f''(x₀) > 0, then f has a strict relative
minimum at x₀.