Hi! I'm new to Math Help Forums, so you'll have to forgive me if I don't do things correctly. I'm not quite sure how to post math icons either =/
So, I just have a basic difference quotient problem that was actually included in my review packet for the beginning of calculus one.
Evaluate the function at the given value of the independent variable.
F(x) = x^3
I got as far as plugging it in:
(x+delta x)^3-x^2/delta x
And, I know I'm supposed to simplify things out to get rid of the delta x on the bottom. I tried multiplying out the top and I got [x^2+x(delta x) +x(delta x) + (delta x)^2][x+delta x]/delta x. I'm not entirely sure if that's right, because the delta x's kind of confuse me. I wasn't quite sure how to continue.
EDIT: I forgot to mention! The back of the book states that the answer is 3x^2 + 3x(delta x)+(delta x)^2, where delta x does not equal zero. Thanks again!