Final answer:
The statement is true; the concept of a limit is foundational to calculus, which involves derivatives and integrals central to the study of changes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement, 'In order to do calculus, the first thing you need is the idea of a limit,' is true. Calculus often begins with the concept of a limit, which intuitively describes what happens to a function as the input approaches a particular value. For instance, when finding the slope of a tangent to a curve at a point, we use the derivative, which is founded on the principle of limits. The derivative represents the rate of change at an instant, and is found by taking the limit of the average rate of change as the interval between two points approaches zero. Therefore, the concept of limits is foundational when starting to learn about derivatives and integrals, which are both central to calculus.