Chapter 5: Problem 32
Find the average rate of change of the function. \(f(x)=a^{x}, a>0,\) as \(x\) goes from 0 to 0.001
Short Answer
Expert verified
Answer: \(\frac{a^{0.001} - 1}{0.001}\)
Step by step solution
01
Write the given function and the difference quotient formula
We have the function \(f(x) = a^x\) and the difference quotient formula:
\(\frac{f(x_2) - f(x_1)}{x_2 - x_1}\)
02
Substitute the given values into the formula
Using \(x_1 = 0\) and \(x_2 = 0.001\), plug these values into the difference quotient formula:
\(\frac{f(0.001)-f(0)}{0.001-0}\)
03
Write the function values for f(0) and f(0.001)
Find the function values for \(f(0)\) and \(f(0.001)\):
\(f(0) = a^0 = 1\) and \(f(0.001) = a^{0.001}\)
04
Plug the function values into the difference quotient formula
Substitute the function values found in step 3 into the difference quotient formula:
\(\frac{a^{0.001} - 1}{0.001}\)
05
Simplify the expression
We can't simplify the expression further unless we are given a specific value for \(a\). Therefore, the average rate of change of the function as \(x\) goes from 0 to 0.001 is:
\(\frac{a^{0.001} - 1}{0.001}\)
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Difference Quotient
The difference quotient is a fundamental tool in calculus. It measures how a function changes over a small interval. Think of it as the average rate of change or slope of a function between two points. The formula is:
For example, when we consider our specific problem:
- \(\frac{f(x_2) - f(x_1)}{x_2 - x_1}\)
For example, when we consider our specific problem:
- \(x_1 = 0\) and \(x_2 = 0.001\)
Exponential Functions
Exponential functions are functions where a constant base \(a\) is raised to a variable exponent \(x\). They are written in the form \(f(x) = a^x\), where \(a\) is a positive constant.
They are characterized by rapid growth or decay, depending on whether \(a > 1\) (growth) or \(0 < a < 1\) (decay).
This type of function is common in many real-world scenarios, such as population growth, finance compound interest, and radioactive decay.
They are characterized by rapid growth or decay, depending on whether \(a > 1\) (growth) or \(0 < a < 1\) (decay).
This type of function is common in many real-world scenarios, such as population growth, finance compound interest, and radioactive decay.
- In the exercise, the function given is \(f(x) = a^x\).
- At \(x=0\), the exponential function simplifies to \(f(0) = a^0 = 1\). This is because any non-zero number raised to the power of 0 is 1.
- Increasing the exponent slightly, as with \(x=0.001\), gives us \(f(0.001) = a^{0.001}\).
Function Evaluation
Function evaluation involves plugging in specific input values into a function to get corresponding outputs. This is a vital step in using the difference quotient to estimate the average rate of change.
For the exponential function \(f(x) = a^x\):
For the exponential function \(f(x) = a^x\):
- The given task is to determine the function values for specific \(x\) values: \(x = 0\) and \(x = 0.001\).
- At \(x = 0\), \(f(0) = a^0 = 1\).
- At \(x = 0.001\), \(f(0.001) = a^{0.001}\). This slight change in \(x\) results in a very slight change in the function's output due to the smallness of the exponent.