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Question 16724:  Please help with this problem:
 
Find the indicated difference quotient and simplify answer.
 
Given f(x) = x^2 = 5x + 1
 
find f(5 + h) - f(5) over h
 
what I did: 
1. f(5+h) = (5+h)^2 + 5(5+h) +1 
=(5+h)(5+h) + 5(5+h) +1 
=25 +5h +5h +h^2 +25 +5h + 1 
=51 + 15h +h^2
 
2. f(5+h) - f(5) = 51 + 15h + h^2 - 5^2 + 5(5) + 1 
= 51 + 15h + h^2 - 25 + 25 + 1 
= 52 + 15h + h2
 
3. f(5+h) - f(5) over h = 52 + 15h + h^2 over h
 
The teacher's answer is 15 + h 
Where did I go wrong? 
Please help! 
Thanks, 
Sandy 
 Answer by rapaljer(4671)      (Show Source): 
You can  put this solution on YOUR website! In step 2, you made the most common error in this type of problem.  When you do f(5+h) - f(5), be sure to minus the quantity of f(5)!!
 
 
It should look like this with extra parentheses added: 
   f(5+h) - f(5) = 51 + 15h + h^2 - (5^2 + 5(5) + 1) 
= 51 + 15h + h^2 - (25 + 25 + 1) 
=  15h + h2  
3. f(5+h) - f(5) over h =  (15h + h^2) over h, which comes out to  
  
The teacher's answer which is 15 + h
 
 
R^2 at SCC 
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