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Calculus is a branch of mathematics which looks at things that change over time. It tries to say what type of change it is and how big the change is using functions at the exact moment the change is taking place. There are two different types of calculus. Differential calculus divides things into small (different) pieces and tells us how they change from one moment to the next, while integral calculus joins (integrates) the small pieces together and tells us how much of something is made by a change. It is used in many different areas of study such as physics, astronomy, biology, engineering, economics, medicine and sociology.
The word Calculus comes from the Latin language meaning "small stone".