Find the average rate of change of the function f(x) 3x^2+4 between x= -2 and x= 1. Illustrate your answer graphically.

Question

anonymous · Answer

I know the answer is -3 I just dont know how to graph it.

anonymous · Answer

The average slope, $m_{av}$ of $f(x)$ in the interval $[a,b]$ is defined as :
$$m_{av}=\frac{f(b)-f(a)}{b-a}$$
So you used that formula and found the answer to be -3 right?

anonymous · Answer

yes

anonymous · Answer

now the graphing part is what I dont understand

anonymous · Answer

So then the function would look something like:|dw:1379824214983:dw| and the average slope is slope of the secant line connecting the points $P[a,f(a)]$ and $Q[b,f(b)]$

anonymous · Answer

so you have something like this:
|dw:1379824327674:dw|