Question 482306:  I am having trouble understanding functions.  I am an on line student and my homework program had problems that sis not look quite like the one on a practice test i am taking.  This is the question (I am sorry i am trying to follow the rules above but it is a 5 part question so only answer what you think would help me grasp this the most):
 
a graph accompanies this question with points in this order from right to left: 
(-8,0)(-5,3)(0,-4)(5,0)(7,6)
 
Given the following function: 
a) f(-5)= 
b) f(0)= 
c) What is the domain? {-8,7} (these I am somewhat comfortable with) 
d) What is the range? {-4,6} 
e) Find the value(s)of x such that f(x)=0
 
 
 Found 2 solutions by  stanbon, Edwin McCravy: Answer by stanbon(75887)      (Show Source): 
You can  put this solution on YOUR website! NOTEl: I assume your points are in the order (x,y) 
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a graph accompanies this question with points in this order from right to left: 
(-8,0)(-5,3)(0,-4)(5,0)(7,6)  
Given the following function: 
a) f(-5)= 3 
------------ 
b) f(0)= -4 
------------ 
c) What is the domain?:: {-8,-5,0,5,7} 
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d) What is the range? :: {0,3,-4,6} 
---------------------------------------- 
e) Find the value(s)of x such that f(x)=0::x = -8 and x = 5 
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Comment: Be careful.  You may be wasting your time and money 
taking an online course.  Most people need to taught math. 
=================================== 
Cheers, 
Stan H. 
 
 
 Answer by Edwin McCravy(20064)      (Show Source): 
You can  put this solution on YOUR website! 
What you must do is remember that when you see this
(-8,0)(-5,3)(0,-4)(5,0)(7,6) ,
this is what it means:
 
#1.  (-8,0) means x=-8 and y=f(x)=f(-8)=0
#2.  (-5,3) means x=-5 and y=f(x)=f(-5)=3
#3.  (0,-4) means  x=0 and y=f(x)=f(0)=-4
#4.  (5,0) means  x=5 and y=f(x)=f(5)=0
#5.  (7,6) means  x=7 and y=f(x)=f(7)=6
 
a) f(-5)  
Looking above you can see from #2 that the answer is 3.
b) f(0)=
Looking above you can see from #3 that the answer is -4. 
c) What is the domain? 
Think of them as:
(-8,0)(-5,3)(0,-4)(5,0)(-7,6)
The domain is the set of all the red ones, the first ones, the x's:
domain = {-8,-5,0,5,7}
d) What is the range?
The range is the set of all the green ones, the second ones, the y's,
also called the f(x)'s:
{0,3,-4,0,6), but you shouldn't list 0 twice, so you
just have:
{0,3,-4,6)
But you also should put these in order from smallest to largest:
{0,-4,3,6)
e) Find the value(s)of x such that f(x)=0
Looking above at #1 and #4 you can see that there are two answers,
-8 and 5.
Edwin 
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