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I have the relation λ=c/f, respectively f=c/λ and a simple function n[λ_]:=λ²+1. I'd like to differentiate the function with respect to f, then plot it as a function of λ again. For this, I can define the function

n[λ_]:=λ²+1

I can now compute

D[n[c/f], f]

To get that as a function of λ, I tried

nplot[f_]:=D[n[c/f], f]

(which does not work) and then 

Plot[nplot[c/f],{f,a,b}]

Is there no elegant way to switch between λ and f in plotting and computing - such, that I could just say

derivative[f]=D[n[f],f] Plot[derivative[λ],{λ,0,10}]

…?

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You could define an UpValues for λ to encapsulate your known relation:

SetAttributes[c, Constant] Dt[f == c/λ, f]

1 == -c Dt[λ, f]/λ^2

Hence, we can define:

λ /: Dt[λ, f] = -λ^2/c

-λ^2/c

Then:

n[λ_] := λ^2+1 Dt[n[λ], f]

-2 λ^3/c

which is the requested derivative of n[λ] with respect to f in terms of λ.

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  • $\begingroup$ Ah, that's neat. How would I then quickly plot n[λ] and Dt[n[λ],f]] as a function of f? For the first, I could just use Plot[n[c/λ],{λ,a,b}], but then I again have to give the range in terms of λ, not f. $\endgroup$ Commented Oct 10, 2018 at 7:04

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