Using Function Notation

Question

Here is the graph of function f, which represents Andre's distance from his bicycle as he walked in a park.

1. Estimate f(5).

2. Estimate f(17).

3. For what value of t does f(t) = 8?

4. For what value of t does f(t) = 6.5?

Answer 1

You image of the graph did not come through, so we can't see it. But here's how you do these:

(a) The notation f(5) means the value of f when t = 5. So go t = 5 on the graph then go straight up until youn hit the graph. Read the y-value of the point where you hit the graph. The y-value is f(5).

(b) Same as (a) only t = 17 instead of 5

(c) This is the opposite problem. Find y = 8 on the y-axis, draw a horizontal line through y = 8 (parallel to the t axis) until it crosses the graph. From the crossing point, go straight down until you reach the t-axis, Read that value of t. That's the value of t when f(t) = 8. There may be more than one t-value, depending if the horizontal line at y=8 crosses the graph more than once.

(d) Same as (c) except for y = 6.5 instead of 8.