The derivative of a quadratic function measures its rate of change. It’s defined as f'(x) = 2ax + b, where a and b are the coefficients of the quadratic function f(x) = ax² + bx + c. The derivative represents the slope of the tangent line to the function’s graph at any given point. It helps determine the rate of change of y-values as x changes. The derivative can be used to find critical points, identify intervals of increasing and decreasing values, and solve optimization problems.
