Question

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

Answer 1

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

Answer 2

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?

Answer 3

yes

Answer 4

now the graphing part is what I dont understand

Answer 5

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

Answer 6

so you have something like this: