Chapter 3: Problem 20
\(17-28\) A function is given. Determine the average rate of change of the function between the given values of the variable. $$ f(z)=1-3 z^{2} ; \quad z=-2, z=0 $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The average rate of change is 6.
Step by step solution
01
Identify the Function and Interval
The function given is \(f(z) = 1 - 3z^2\). We need to find the average rate of change over the interval \([-2, 0]\).
02
Calculate Function Values
Evaluate the function at the endpoints of the interval. For \(z = -2\), \(f(-2) = 1 - 3(-2)^2 = 1 - 12 = -11\). For \(z = 0\), \(f(0) = 1 - 3(0)^2 = 1\).
03
Apply the Average Rate of Change Formula
The average rate of change is given by the formula \[\frac{f(b) - f(a)}{b - a}\]. Here, \(a = -2\), \(b = 0\), \(f(b) = 1\), and \(f(a) = -11\). Substitute these values into the formula: \[\frac{1 - (-11)}{0 - (-2)} = \frac{1 + 11}{2} = \frac{12}{2} = 6.\]
04
Interpret the Result
The average rate of change of the function \(f(z) = 1 - 3z^2\) between \(z = -2\) and \(z = 0\) is 6. This means that, on average, the function increases by 6 units for each unit increase in \(z\) over this interval.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Function Evaluation
Function evaluation is a fundamental concept in mathematics that involves computing the output of a function for a given input. In the context of the given exercise, we evaluate the function at two specific points within a given interval:
- For the point \( z = -2 \), we substitute in the function \( f(z) = 1 - 3z^2 \) to find the value \( f(-2) = 1 - 3(-2)^2 \).
- The calculation yields \( f(-2) = 1 - 12 = -11 \).
- For \( z = 0 \), substituting into the function gives \( f(0) = 1 - 3(0)^2 = 1 \).
Interval Notation
Interval notation is a way of representing a subset of numbers on the real number line. It succinctly communicates the start and end points of an interval. For the given problem, we have the interval \([-2, 0]\), which includes:
- The numbers starting from \(-2\) to \(0\).
- The square brackets \([ \text{and} ]\) indicating that both \(-2\) and \(0\) are included in the interval.
Quadratic Functions
Quadratic functions are polynomial functions of degree two with a general form of \( ax^2 + bx + c \). In this exercise, the function given is \( f(z) = 1 - 3z^2 \), which is a quadratic function with:
- A leading coefficient of \(-3\), which means the parabola opens downward.
- No linear term, indicating symmetry about the y-axis.
Calculus Basics
Calculus basics often revolve around understanding rates of changes and behavior of functions. The average rate of change is a fundamental concept, akin to calculating the slope in algebra for linear functions. For the quadratic function \( f(z) = 1 - 3z^2 \), the average rate of change gives us a snapshot of how the function behaves over an interval:
- The formula \( \frac{f(b) - f(a)}{b - a} \) measures how much \( f(z) \) changes per unit change in \( z \).
- In our solution, \( f(-2) = -11 \) and \( f(0) = 1 \), thus the average rate of change over the interval \([-2, 0]\) is \( \frac{12}{2} = 6 \).