I am not sure if I have done this problem correctly.
"Find the difference quotient (f(x) - f(a)) / (x-a) for each function."
f(x) = 1/x
((1/x) - (1/a)) / (x-a)
= ((a/ax) - (x/ax)) / (x-a) Found common denominator
= ((a-x)/ax)) / (x-a)
= ((a-x)/ax)(1/(x-a)) multiplied by reciprocal
= (a-x) / ((ax)(x-a)) This answer just does not look right to me. I am pretty confident that I did the problem the right way. I think this answer needs to be simplified some more, but I don't see how it could be done.
Thanks.
"Find the difference quotient (f(x) - f(a)) / (x-a) for each function."
f(x) = 1/x
((1/x) - (1/a)) / (x-a)
= ((a/ax) - (x/ax)) / (x-a) Found common denominator
= ((a-x)/ax)) / (x-a)
= ((a-x)/ax)(1/(x-a)) multiplied by reciprocal
= (a-x) / ((ax)(x-a)) This answer just does not look right to me. I am pretty confident that I did the problem the right way. I think this answer needs to be simplified some more, but I don't see how it could be done.
Thanks.