I have a piecewise function consisting of three values.

Question

Function goes as so...

 

 

             x^2   if x<0

f(x)= {   2       if x=0

              3x+4 if x>0

 

Find: f(-2), f(0), and f(3)

Answer 1

Hi Bridget,

 

            x^2    if x<0
f(x)= { 2        if x=0
           3x+4   if x>0

 

For each of the functions you need to evaluate, you need to use the part of the function that corresponds to the value of x you need to evaluate.

 

So for f(-2), you use f(x) = x² since that's the part of the function for values of x<0

f(-2) = (-2)² = 4

 

For f(0), you use f(x) = 2 since that's the part of the function for values of x=0
f(0) = 2

 

Finally, for f(3), you use f(x) = 3x=4 since that's the part of the function for values of x>0
f(3) = 3(3) + 4 = 9+4=13