Problem 38

Question

What is the average rate of change of a function?

Step-by-Step Solution

Verified
Answer
The average rate of change of a function is calculated as the change in the function's output over the change in the input, usually expressed as \(\frac{f(b) - f(a)}{b-a}\)
1Step 1: Understand the Concept
The average rate of change of a function is given by the ratio of the change in the output value to the change in the input value. This can be calculated using the formula: \[Average \ Rate \ of \ Change = \frac{f(b) - f(a)}{b-a}\] where \(f\) is the function, \(a\) and \(b\) are the input values.
2Step 2: Substitute the Values
Substitute the values of \(a\), \(b\), \(f(a)\), and \(f(b)\) in the above formula. It is important to note that \(a\) and \(b\) are the x-values of two points on the function, and \(f(a)\) and \(f(b)\) are the respective y-values of these two points.
3Step 3: Compute
After substituting values, execute the arithmetic operations to get the average rate of the function.