To evaluate this limit we observe that n − i − 1 > 0 for all i < n − 1 and equal to zero for i = n − 1. Thus only the h0 term will survive with i = n − 1 yielding
Proof of the product rule
A rigorous proof of the product rule can be given using the properties of limits and the definition of the derivative as a limit of Newton's difference quotient:
Suppose
Proof of the chain rule
Let f and g be functions and let x be a number such that f is differentiable at g(x) and g is differentiable at x. Then by the definition of differentiability,