The Core Insight:

Functions Are Computational Graphs.

Every computer program that evaluates a mathematical function can be viewed as a computational graph. Consider this simple function:

This creates a computational graph where each operation is a node. This decomposition is the key insight that makes automatic differentiation possible.

 
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CVW material development is supported by NSF OAC awards 1854828, 2321040, 2323116 (UT Austin) and 2005506 (Indiana University)