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College Algebra Help

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midwestpowhunter
Posts: 2198 - Karma: 189

Having trouble answering this question.. Any help would be great. I understand the two basically but I havent taken a math class in a lonnnnnggg time... +K for help

Explain the relationship between the average rate of change formula and difference quotient. How are they related?

Then derive the difference quotient formula from the average rate of change formula.

Jan 23 2013 4:12PM
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LoathesRaisins
Posts: 3612 - Karma: 4,735
PM chicken
Jan 23 2013 4:13PM
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5675 - Karma: 4,268
Isn't that just a derivative and the whole limit as h approaches 0 annoying fraction thing? Aka

[f(x+h) - f(x)] / h is the difference quotient? lim as h goes to 0 is the derivative, using your function in that equation.
Jan 23 2013 4:18PM
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midwestpowhunter
Posts: 2198 - Karma: 189
u sound like you know what you are talking about can you dumb that down for me.
Jan 23 2013 4:31PM
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Stickity
Posts: 7750 - Karma: 769
i thought (f(x+h)-f(x))/h was the definition of the derivative?
Jan 23 2013 4:34PM
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5675 - Karma: 4,268
That's what I thought. I haven't done this way since high school. And I don't recall using the terms difference quotient and rate of change function much either. I just do it in my head the easy way. I mean I can see why they call it a difference quotient. People should all use the same terms.

Op, if you plug in your function into that, simplify the expression then take the limit as h goes to 0 you'll get the derivative of your function. If you put in x^2 you should get 2x. You book should have a section on the use of that method. If the rate of change formula is another way of getting a derivative, then they're related in that they both produce the derivative of your function.
Jan 23 2013 4:48PM
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Royal-bamboo
Posts: 294 - Karma: 105
dude, y=mx+b thats all you need to know
Jan 23 2013 8:33PM
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El_Barto.
Posts: 11661 - Karma: 24,354
dont forget A^2 + B^2 = C^2
Jan 23 2013 9:21PM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
The average rate of change is just the difference in x over the difference in y

(Y2-Y1) / (X2-X1)

the instantaneous change is just the derivative of a certain point
Jan 23 2013 9:25PM
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