A mathematician went insane and believed that he was the differentiation operator. His friends had him placed in a mental hospital until he got better. All day he would go around frightening the other patients by staring at them and saying "I differentiate you!"

One day he met a new patient; and true to form he stared at him and said "I differentiate you!", but for once, his victim\'s expression didn\'t change. Surprised, the mathematician marshalled his energies, stared fiercely at the new patient and said loudly "I differentiate you!", but still the other man had no reaction. Finally, in frustration, the mathematician screamed out "I DIFFERENTIATE YOU!" The new patient calmly looked up and said, "You can differentiate me all you like: I\'m e to the x."

another one

The functions are sitting in a bar, chatting (how fast they go to zero at infinity etc.). Suddenly, one cries "Beware! Derivation is coming!" All immediately hide themselves under the tables, only the exponential sits calmly on the chair. The derivation comes in, sees a function and says "Hey, you don\'t fear me?" "No, I\'am e to x", says the exponential self-confidently. "Well" replies the derivation "but who says I differentiate along x?"