Find the Slope of a Curve y=f(x) at (a,f(a)) - Determine a f

In summary, the slope of the curve y=​f(x) at the point​ (a,f(a)) can be determined by finding the limit of the expression 8(3+h)^2-72/h as h approaches 0. Simplifying the expression leads to 8(6+h), and as h approaches 0, the limit is equal to 48. The misunderstanding may be due to needing more practice with math.
  • #1
Teh
47
0
The limit below represents the slope of a curve y=​f(x) at the point​ (a,f(a)). Determine a​ f

View attachment 6113After finding the f(x) and a, I did this:8(3^2+3h(3)+3h(3)+h^2)-72 dividing by h

getting h(8h^2+144) dividing by h; canceling the h's

and the plugging in the limit h --> 0 getting 144. But I am getting it wrong.

What is the issue?
 

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  • #2
Re: The limit below represents the slope of a curve y=​f(x) at the point​ (a,f(a)). Determine a​ f

\(\displaystyle \frac{8(3+h)^2-72}{h}=\frac{8(9+6h+h^2-9)}{h}=\frac{8h(6+h)}{h}=8(6+h)\)

Then as $h\to0$, the limit is 48. :)
 
  • #3
Re: The limit below represents the slope of a curve y=​f(x) at the point​ (a,f(a)). Determine a​ f

MarkFL said:
\(\displaystyle \frac{8(3+h)^2-72}{h}=\frac{8(9+6h+h^2-9)}{h}=\frac{8h(6+h)}{h}=8(6+h)\)

Then as $h\to0$, the limit is 48. :)

What! cmon...ahhhh okay dang it need more math pratice XD...what happen to 72?
 

FAQ: Find the Slope of a Curve y=f(x) at (a,f(a)) - Determine a f

What is the slope of a curve?

The slope of a curve is a measure of how steep or flat the curve is at any given point. It represents the rate of change of the curve at that point.

How do you find the slope of a curve?

The slope of a curve can be found by taking the derivative of the curve's equation. This will give you a formula for the slope at any point on the curve.

What does (a,f(a)) represent in the equation for finding slope of a curve?

(a,f(a)) represents a specific point on the curve where the slope is being calculated. The 'a' value corresponds to the x-coordinate of the point, and the 'f(a)' value corresponds to the y-coordinate.

How do you determine the slope of a curve at a specific point?

To determine the slope of a curve at a specific point, you can plug the x-coordinate of the point into the derivative formula for the curve. This will give you the slope at that point.

Why is finding the slope of a curve important?

Finding the slope of a curve is important because it allows us to analyze the behavior of the curve at different points. It can help us understand the rate of change of a function, identify maximum and minimum points on the curve, and make predictions about the behavior of the curve in the future.

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