Definition:Derivative/Notation/Leibniz Notation/Historical Note
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Historical Note on Leibniz's Notation for Derivative
Leibniz's notation for a derivative came at about the same time that the manuscript dated $29$th October $1675$ in which the notation for the integral had been devised.
At the same time he introduced the differential symbol $\d$.
Thus he was soon writing $\d x$, $\d y$, and $\dfrac {\d y} {\d x}$ soon followed.
In his $1684$ article Nova Methodus pro Maximis et Minimis, published in Acta Eruditorum, he casually drops the notation in place with very little explanation.
Sources
- 1992: George F. Simmons: Calculus Gems ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $\text {A}.19$: Leibniz ($\text {1646}$ – $\text {1716}$)