Cuse these difference quotients

[leftyguitarjo]

Cuse these difference quotients!

Homework Statement

http://www.webassign.net/www14/symImages/5/8/30f1e141e81c6a3333af41547f8ff2.gif

Evaluate the difference quotient for the given function

http://www.webassign.net/www14/symImages/4/6/bda668fa415dbf5d0c9c2ba4c031d2.gif

Homework Equations

n/a

The Attempt at a Solution

I seem to have the wrong mindset while doing these.

I got 0.

Actually, I don't really know exactly what I'm even going for here.

 

[Dick]

It's not zero. It's a function of x. Why don't you show us what you did? Just substitute the given f(x) into the difference quotient.

 

[leftyguitarjo]

My main thing is that I don't know what the outcome should look like.

It was during the last few weeks of my senior year of high school so I didnt exactly make it to class every day and I missed this stuff. Its coming back to bite me in college now.

 

[Dick]

I told you, just substitute the form for f(x) into the difference quotient and try and do some algebra to simplify it. What is f(5)? This isn't a big conceptual problem.

 

[sutupidmath]

Homework Statement

http://www.webassign.net/www14/symImages/5/8/30f1e141e81c6a3333af41547f8ff2.gif

Evaluate the difference quotient for the given function

http://www.webassign.net/www14/symImages/4/6/bda668fa415dbf5d0c9c2ba4c031d2.gif

Homework Equations

n/a

The Attempt at a Solution

I seem to have the wrong mindset while doing these.

I got 0.

Actually, I don't really know exactly what I'm even going for here.

Later on you will see that the slope of the tangent line at a point say P(a,f(a)), is given by:

\lim_{x\rightarrow a}\frac{f(x)-f(a)}{x-a}=f'(a)

And only the quotient \frac{f(x)-f(a)}{x-a} is the slope of secat line.

So, you are given a function f(x) and then asked to find the quotient.

\frac{f(x)-f(5)}{x-5} so what u want to do is replace f(x) with what you are given, in other words, write the function f(x)=... whatever it equals, and then for f(5), you first want to evalulate f(5)=...whatever it equals. You evaluate f(5) by plugging 5 in

f(x)=\frac{x+7}{x+5}

 

[HallsofIvy]

My main thing is that I don't know what the outcome should look like.

It was during the last few weeks of my senior year of high school so I didnt exactly make it to class every day and I missed this stuff. Its coming back to bite me in college now.

Dick said "Why don't you show us what you did? " Why will you not do that?