On the Basic Theory of Some Generalized and Fractional Derivatives

Abstract

We continue the development of the basic theory of generalized derivatives as introduced and give some of their applications. In particular, we formulate necessary conditions for extrema, Rolle’s theorem, the mean value theorem, the fundamental theorem of calculus, integration by parts, along with an existence and uniqueness theorem for a generalized Riccati equation, each of which provides simple proofs of the corresponding version for the so-called conformable fractional derivatives considered by many. Finally, we show that for each α>1 there is a fractional derivative and a corresponding function whose fractional derivative fails to exist everywhere on the real line.