Determine the average rate of change of the following function between the given values of the variable:

Question

f(x)=x4+x; x=−1, x=3

Answer 1

The average rate of change is just the slope of the straight line (called the secant line) that connects the endpoints of the interval: (-1,f(-1)) and (3,f(3)). Use the slope formula from algebra 1:

slope = average rate of change = ( f(3) - f(-1) )/ ((3 - (-1))

Can you finish the calculation?