Question

Consider that the age, x, of a unicorn in human equivalent years can be given by the formula f(x) =0.001518x^4+0.06732x^3-1.4367x^2+12.46x+2.914. When a unicorn is 2.5 years old, what is its age in human equivalent years? What about when it is 12 years old?

Answer 1

If x is the unicorn's true age, and f(x) is the equivalent age in human years, then the first question asks you to evaluate f(x) for x = 2.5, in other words, f(2.5)... just sub in 2.5 for each "x" in the function and solve.

Same for part 2... solve f(12) which is the equivalent human years for a unicorn of age x= 12 years

Answer 2

I'm sort of confused where would you place 2.5 and 12? Would it be 0.001518+2.5^4+0.06732+12^3???

Answer 3

almost, but that first term is 0.001518 multiplied by x^4... you show it as added to x^4 when you write "... +2.5^4

Same problem with the next term too

Answer 4

f(x) = 0.001518x^4 + 0.06732x^3 - 1.4367x^2 + 12.46x + 2.914

f(2.5)=0.0015118(2.5^4) + 0.06732(2.5^3) - 1.4367(2.5^2) + 12.46(2.5) +2.914

Answer 5

you literally just replace each x in the original equation with (2.5)

Answer 6

ohhhhhh! ok, now it makes sense!!

Answer 7

Great!!

Answer 8

Thank you sooo much!