Difference sequences

Rather early in our math education we learn about functions and derivative functions.

  
              f(x+h)-f(x)
f'(x) = lim   -----------
         h-> 0    h 

For example: 
f(x) = x^n
f'(x) = n*x^(n-1)

Something similar can be defined for sequences, in that case the 'derative' is called the difference sequence.

a_n = {1, 16, 81, 256, ... }
f(n) = n^4
f'(n) = 1 + 4n + 6n^2 + 4n^3
f''(n) = 14 + 24n + 12n^2
f(3)(n) = 36 + 24n
f(4)(n) = 24

For an arbitrary sequence f:
f(m)(n) = Sum[(-1)^(k)*Binomial[m,k]*f[n-k+m],{k,0,m}]

Here also we see that Pascal's Triangle has a crucial meaning.