Math 115

Practice Problems for Difference Quotient

If
then

line 1

f(x) = 3x2 2x
f (!) = 3!2 - 2!

Whatever is in this position becomes the exact replacement for x each place it
appears in the right side of the f(x) rule on line 1.
1. If g(x) = x2 + 3 with domain of all real numbers, find:
a. g(a)

b. g(a) + g(b)

g ( x h) g ( x )
h

c. g(x + h)

d.

c. g (-t3)

d. g(k + 1)

c. f (a + 1)

d.

2. Let g(x) = 3x2 + x 4. Find:

a. g (-3)

b. g(k)

3. If f(x) = x2 2x, then evaluate and simplify:

a. f (2)

b. f (0)

f ( x h) f ( x)
h

4. Let f(x) = 2x2 3x. If h represents any nonzero number, then the quotient
f ( x h) f ( x)
, h 0, represents the slope of the line through (x, f(x))
h

and (x + h, f (x + h)). This expression is called a difference quotient and is used in calculus
to determine the steepness of a curve at a point. Find and simplify the difference quotient.

5. Find

f ( a h) f ( a )
for each of the following functions:
h

a. f ( x) x 2 6

b. f ( x) 2 x 2 3 x 4

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c. f ( x)

1
x

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Solutions:
If
then

line 1

f(x) = 3x2 2x
f () = 32 - 2

Whatever is in this position becomes the exact replacement for x each place it
appears in the right side of the f(x) rule on line 1.
1. If g(x) = x2 + 3 with domain of all real numbers, find:
a. g(a)

b. g(a) + g(b)

c. g(x + h)

d.

g ( x h) g ( x )
h

Solutions:
a. g(a) = a2 + 3

Replace x with a in g(x).

b. g(a) + g(b)

= a2 + 3 + b2 + 3

= a2 + b2 + 6

c. g (x + h)

= (x + h)2 + 3

Replace x with x + h in g(x).

= x2 + 2xh + h2 + 3
g ( x h) g ( x )
d.
=
h

=
=
=
=
2. Let g(x) = 3x2 + x 4.
a.

b.
c.

Find:

( x h) 2 3 ( x 2 3)
h
x 2 2 xh h 2 3 x 2 3
h
2
2 xh h
h
h( 2 x h)
h

2x + h; h 0
a. g (-3)

b. g(k)

c. g (-t3)

d. g(k + 1)

g(x) = 3x2 + x 4
g(-3) = 3(-3)2 + (-3) 4
= 3(9) 3 4
= 20
g (x) = 3x2 + x - 4
g (k) = 3k2 + k - 4
g(x) = 3x2 + x 4

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g(-t3) = 3(-t3)2 + (-t3) 4

= 3t6 t3 4
d.

g(x) =
g(k + 1) =
=
=
=

3x2 + x 4
3(k + 1)2 + (k + 1) 4
3(k2 + 2k + 1) + k + 1 4
3k2 + 6k + 3 + k + 1 4
3k2 + 7k

3. If f(x) = x2 2x, then evaluate and simplify:

a. f (2)

b. f (0)

c. f (a + 1)

d.

f ( x h) f ( x)
h

a. f (2) = 22 2 2 = 0
b. f (0) = 02 2 0 = 0
c. f (a + 1) = (a + 1)2 2(a + 1)
= (a2 + 2a + 1) 2a 2
= a2 - 1
d.

f ( x h) f ( x)
=
h

[( x h) 2 2( x h) ( x 2 2 x)]
h

x 2 2 xh h 2 2 x 2h x 2 2 x
h

h( 2 x h 2)
h

2x h 2

4. Let f(x) = 2x2 3x. If h represents any nonzero number, then the quotient
f ( x h) f ( x)
, h 0, represents the slope of the line through (x, f(x))
h

and (x + h, f (x + h)). This expression is called a difference quotient and is used in calculus
to determine the steepness of a curve at a point. Find and simplify the difference quotient.
To find f(x + h), replace x with x + h.
f(x) = 2x2 3x

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f (x + h) = 2(x + h)2 3(x + h).

Substitute x + h for x in f(x).

Now, subtract f(x), which equals 2x2 3x, to get f(x + h) f (x).
Then

f ( x h) f ( x)
h

2( x h) 2 3( x h) ( 2 x 2 3 x)
h

2( x 2 2 xh h 2 ) 3 x 3h 2 x 2 3 x
h

2 x 2 4 xh 2h 2 3 x 3h 2 x 2 3 x
h
4 xh 2h 2 3h
=
h
h( 4 x 2h 3)
=
h

= 4x + 2h 3
This difference quotient is shown using correct notation. The general difference quotient on the left
is equal to the difference quotient for this particular f(x) on the right, working vertically with the
equal signs lined up vertically.
f ( a h) f ( a )
for each of the following functions:
h

5. Find

a. f ( x) x 2 6

b. f ( x) 2 x 2 3 x 4

c. f ( x)

1
x

f (a) = a2 + 6
f (a + h) = (a + h)2 + 6 = a2 + 2ah + h2 + 6
Therefore,
f (a + h) f (a) = (a2 + 2ah + h2 + 6) (a2 + 6)
= a2 + 2ah + h2 + 6 a2 6
= 2ah + h2
and

a.

f ( a h) f ( a )
=
h

=
b.

2ah h 2
h
h ( 2a h)
h

=
2a + h
f (a) = 2a + 3a 4
f (a + h) = 2(a + h)2 + 3(a + h) 4
= 2(a2 + 2ha + h2) + 3a + 3h 4
2

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= 2a2 + 4ha + 2h2 + 3a + 3h 4

Therefore,
f(a + h) f(a)

= (2a2 + 4ha + 2h2 + 3a + 3h 4) (2a2 + 3a 4)

= 2a2 + 4ha + 2h2 + 3a + 3h 4 2a2 3a + 4
= 4ha + 2h2 + 3h

and
f ( a h) f ( a )
4ha 2h 2 3h

h
h
h( 4a 2h 3)
=
h

=
f (a )

c.

f ( a h)

4a 2h 3

1
a
1
a h

Therefore,
f ( a h) f ( a )

=
=
=
f ( a h) f ( a )
and
h

1
1

a h
a

a (a h)
a ( a h)
a a h
a ( a h)
h
h
or
a ( a h)
a ( a h)

=
=

h
a ( a h)
h

h
1

a ( a h) h
1

a (a h)

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