A difference quotient is a mathematical expression used to find the slope of a curve at a specific point. It involves taking the limit as the distance between two points on the curve approaches zero.
To solve an easy difference quotient question, you need to identify the function and the point at which you want to find the slope. Then, you substitute the values into the difference quotient formula and simplify the expression to find the slope.
The formula for a difference quotient is (f(x + h) - f(x)) / h, where f(x) is the function and h is the distance between the two points on the curve.
Yes, a difference quotient can be negative. The sign of the difference quotient depends on the values of the function at the two points being used to find the slope.
Finding the difference quotient is important because it helps us understand the rate of change of a function at a specific point. This can be useful in various fields such as physics, economics, and engineering.