Question

Okay, i'm not a native, so what does it mean to find the span of a function in a certain range? Does it mean to calculate the length of the function in that range using integration, or simply the difference between the largest and the smallest value of the function in the given range?

Answer 1

i think the span is the set that give off all the linear combinations

Answer 2

Hello, @dreamer02,
I think we should discuss vocabulary a bit more. What does "range" in the Queen's English mean to you?
In what context have you seen the term "span" used in your present math course? To what did "span" refer?

Answer 3

In American English we use "domain" to denote "acceptable input or x- values" for a given function, and "range" to denote the set of values that the output (y-value) can have.

Answer 4

find the span of f(x) in the range a<x<b

my question was "is the span f(b)-f(a)"
or the total length of the function in that range

Answer 5

As an educated guess, not as a definitive answer, I'd say YES, that's it.

I looked up "span of a function" and came up with
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_span

which I think is beyond the scope of your current course.

Answer 6

I wouldn't use the terminology "total length of the function in that range" myself. Rather, I'd think of the "span" as the interval including the possible values of y for this particular function / the interval including the possible function values for this particular function.

Answer 7

Yeah, I searched for it too, but the given link is the only thing that I managed to find. Which is, of course, not the same as span in functions.

Answer 8

Again, if it's really important to you to get this particular problem done correctly, I'd suggest you look through your textbook or online course materials for a clear definition and clear illustration of "span" in the context of your present course.

Answer 9

Okay, that's right. Thanks : )

Answer 10

You're welcome!