The table below represents the velocity of a car as function of time:
time (hour) velocity (miles, hours)
x y
0 50
1 52
2 54
3 56

Calculate the average rate of change of the function represented by the table between x = 1 to x = 3 hours, and tell what the average rate represents.

Question

The table below represents the velocity of a car as  function of time:
time (hour)                  velocity (miles, hours)
       x                                               y 
       0                                              50
       1                                              52
       2                                              54
       3                                              56 

Calculate the average rate of change of the function represented by the table between x = 1 to x = 3 hours, and tell what the average rate represents.

anonymous · Answer

could someone please help? I have looked through my notes and I don't see much explaining how to do this. I'm just lost with this one right now.

fortytherapper · Answer

Average Rate of Change is another name for slope, which goes like this:

$$\frac{ (y2-y1) }{ (x2-x1) }$$

anonymous · Answer

yes I understand that! but I don't know what function they are referring to in the first place

fortytherapper · Answer

They're saying from x=1 to x=3, so in this case it's plug and chug

$$\frac{ f(3)-f(1) }{ 3-1 }$$

f(3) is the y value at x=3, and the same for f(1)

anonymous · Answer

so its just 2?

fortytherapper · Answer

Correct.

You can check by looking at the table. Each time X goes up 1, Y goes up 2

y/x = 2/1 = 2

anonymous · Answer

oh that makes sense! its been a long day lol. Thank you for the help.

fortytherapper · Answer

Anytime!