What can be said about differentiation of a constant with respect to a constant & differentiation of a variable with respect to a constant?

1 Answer
Dec 21, 2017

Please see below.

Explanation:

One of the definition of the derivative of function #f# with respect to function #g# is

#(df)/(dg) = lim_(hrarr0) (f(x+h)-f(x))/(g(x+h)-g(x))#

If #g(x)# is a constant function, then #g(x+h) = g(x)# for all #x# and all #h#, so the denominator is always #0# and no limit exists.

This is true regardless of whether #f(x)# is constant or non-constant.

Another definition

#(df)/(dg) = (df)/dx * 1/((dg)/dx)#

But if #g# is constant then #(dg)/dx = 0#, so the second factor is not defined.
Again whether #f# is constant or variable, no derivative exists.