How do I find the slope of a curve y=x^2-x-2 at x=a?
(btw this is having to do with tangent lines in calc)
2007-09-24 09:20:22 · 9 answers · asked by Samich 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
f (x) = x ² - x - 2
f `(x) = 2 x - 1
f `(a) = 2 a - 1 is slope at x = a
2007-09-25 06:55:09 · answer #1 · answered by Como 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, the derivative of y is 2 x - 1 so when x is a,
the derivative would be 2 a - 1.
2007-09-24 09:25:17 · answer #2 · answered by tfeagin2003 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The slope is found derivating the curve equation once and then substituting the value a.
2007-09-24 09:28:52 · answer #3 · answered by Chuck 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The derivative at a point is the derivative of the function evaluated at the point...
y= x^2 -x -2
y' = 2x -1
f'(x) = 2x-1
f'(a) = 2a -1
This is the slope at a.
2007-09-24 09:27:51 · answer #4 · answered by sayamiam 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
find the derivative of y= x^2 - x - 2.......y' = 2x - 1
evaluate y' at x=a.......and abracadabra, there's your slope of the function at x = a.
answer: slope at x = a is y' = 2a -1
2007-09-24 09:26:28 · answer #5 · answered by Enrico U 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take the derivative and evaluate it at x = a. It's that easy, and you don't have to wade through a sales pitch by Can D.
2007-09-24 09:29:53 · answer #6 · answered by Tony 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
y=x^2-x-2
dy/dx=2x-1
this is the slope at (x,y)
the slope at x=a
is
=2a-1.ANS.
2007-09-24 09:25:53 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
slope of f(x) is derivative of i.e f'(x)
f(x) = y = x^2 - x - 2
f'(x) = 2x - 1
f'(a) = 2a - 1
2007-09-24 09:25:34 · answer #8 · answered by mohanrao d 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
graph it on a calculator
2007-09-24 09:25:34 · answer #9 · answered by simonkf2002 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋