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Math 135 Business Calculus Spring 2009Class Notes
1.3 Average Rates of Change
Consider a function
y
=
f 
(
x
) and two input values
x
1
and
x
2
. The
change in input 
, or the
change in 
x
, is
x
2
−
x
1
.
The corresponding
change in output 
, or the
change in 
y
, is
y
2
−
y
1
=
f 
(
x
2
)
−
f 
(
x
1
)
.
DEFINITION OF AVERAGE RATE OF CHANGE
The
average rate of change of 
y
=
f 
(
x
)
with respect to
x
, as
x
changes from
x
1
to
x
2
, is the ratio of the change in output to the change in input:
y
2
−
y
1
x
2
−
x
1
=
f 
(
x
2
)
−
f 
(
x
1
)
x
2
−
x
1
where
x
1
6
=
x
2
.If we look at the graph of the function, thenthe average rate of change will equal the slopeof the line passing through the points
P 
(
x
1
,y
1
)and
Q
(
x
2
,y
2
). The line passing through
P 
and
Q
is called a
secant line
.
EXAMPLE
The graph in the figure shows a typical response to adversing. Aftr an amount
a
is spenton advertising, the company sells
N 
(
a
) units of a product. Find the average rate of change of 
N 
as
a
changes
a)
from 0 to 1
b)
from 1 to 2
c)
from 2 to 3
0 1 2 3 4
a
0100200300400500600700
 N 
11
 
12
Chapter 1
Di 
ff  
erentiation
DIFFERENCE QUOTIENTS AS AVERAGE RATES OF CHANGE
We can rewrite the average rate of change of a function in a di
ff 
erent no-tation as follows. Instead of using
x
1
for an initial input, use
x
. From
x
,we move
h
units to the second input
x
2
=
x
+
h
. Then the average rate of change is
f 
(
x
2
)
−
f 
(
x
1
)
x
2
−
x
1
=
f 
(
x
+
h
)
−
f 
(
x
)(
x
+
h
)
−
x
=
f 
(
x
+
h
)
−
f 
(
x
)
h
DEFINITION OF DIFFERENCE QUOTIENT
The average rate of change of a function
f 
with respect to
x
is also called the
di
ff 
erence quotient
. Itis given by
f 
(
x
+
h
)
−
f 
(
x
)
h
The di
ff 
erence quotient is equal to the slope of the line from
°
x,f 
(
x
)
¢
to
°
x
+
h,f 
(
x
+
h
)
¢
.
EXAMPLE
Let
f 
(
x
) =
x
2
. Find the di
ff 
erence quotient when:
a)
x
= 5 and
h
= 3
b)
x
= 5 and
h
= 0
.
1
EXAMPLE
Let
f 
(
x
) =
x
2
. Find a simplified form of the di
ff 
erence quotient. Then find the value of the di
ff 
erence quotient when
x
= 5 and
h
= 0
.
1.
of 00

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barnamah

thank you. Very simple and complete

reply05 / 20 / 2009
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