How to Make First Derivative Graph on Excel (With Easy Steps)

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In this tutorial, I am going to share with you step-by-step procedures to make first derivative graph on Excel. Also, throughout this tutorial, you will learn some valuable functions and techniques that will be helpful in other Excel-related tasks. In the last section, we will see how to find the slope of a given dataset.


How to Make First Derivative Graph on Excel: Easy Steps

We have taken a concise dataset for this tutorial to explain the steps clearly. This dataset has 5 columns and 6 rows. The main inputs for this dataset are the Price and the Demand columns. Here, the Price will be in Dollars and the Demand will be in the number of units.

how to make first derivative graph on excel


Step 1: Inserting Input Data

In this first step, we will insert the necessary data to calculate the first derivative and generate the graph in Excel. Let us see how to do this.

  • First, go to cell B5 and insert the Price data as in the image below in cells B5 to B10.
  • Then, format the cells in column B as Accounting.

inserting price to make first derivative graph on excel

  • Similarly, insert the Demand data in cells C5 to C10.


Step 2: Creating Variations Columns

In order to calculate the first derivative, we need to find the variation in the Price and Demand data. For this, we will use some basic formulas. Follow the steps below.

  • To begin with, go to cell D5 and type 0.
  • Next, type in the following formula in cell D6:
=B6-B5
  • Now, press the Enter key and copy the formula to the cells below.
  • As a result, this will give the Price Variation.

price variation to make first derivative graph on excel

  • Similarly, insert the below formula in cell E6:
=C6-C5
  • Then, press Enter and copy this formula to the below cells.


Step 3: Finding First Derivative

Once we have calculated the variations, we can proceed to find the first derivative using another simple formula. Let us see how we can do this.

  • To begin this step, type 0 in cell F5.
  • Then, insert the following formula in cell F6:
=E6/D6
  • Now, press Enter and copy this formula to the cells below using the Fill Handle.

calculation to make first derivative graph on excel


Step 4: Generating First Derivative Graph

Now, that we have all the required data, we can proceed to generate a graph. In Excel, there are many options to create a graph, We will the Scatter plot to clearly visualize the curve.

  • First, select the cells from B5 to B10 and F5 to F10 holding the Ctrl key.

selecting data to make first derivative graph on excel

  • Then go to the Insert tab and from the Scatter drop-down, select Scatter with Smooth Lines and Markers.

scatter chart to make first derivative graph on excel

  • Consequently, this will generate the derivative graph reflecting the change in Demand with respect to Price.


Derivative Function in Excel to Find Slope

The SLOPE function in Excel returns the slope of a regression line based on some y and x values. This slope is actually the measure of the steepness of the data variation. In Mathematics, we use the formula as rise over run which is the change in y values divided by the change in x values.

Derivative Function in Excel to Find Slope

Steps:

  • First of all, navigate to cell C10 and type in the following formula:
=SLOPE(C5:C9,B5:B9)

Derivative Function in Excel to Find Slope

  • Finally, press the Enter key and you will get the slope for the input data.


Things to Remember

  • If there is only one set of points, the SLOPE function will return #DIV/0!
  • If the number of y and x values are not equal, the formula will return #N/A.
  • To copy a formula to other cells, you can double-click on the Fill Handle instead of dragging.

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Conclusion

I hope that you were able to apply the steps that I showed in this tutorial on how to make first derivative graph on Excel. Although we have worked with a small dataset, you can follow these steps to generate graphs from more large datasets. If you get stuck in any of the steps, I recommend going through them a few times to clear up any confusion. If you have any queries, please let me know in the comments.


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Nazmul Hossain Shovon
Nazmul Hossain Shovon

Nazmul Hossain Shovon, a BUET graduate in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, embarked on his career with 8 months dedicated to the Exceldemy project's triumph. Transitioning into a Software Developer role, he specialized in web add-in development. At Exceldemy, he authored about 125 blog articles and solved many visitors’ problems, refining his writing skills and delving into Excel-related topics. With a primary passion for programming and software development, Shovon continually explores new horizons, fostering professional growth in his... Read Full Bio

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