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Precalculus Examples
Step 1
Consider the difference quotient formula.
Step 2
Step 2.1
Evaluate the function at .
Step 2.1.1
Replace the variable with in the expression.
Step 2.1.2
Simplify the result.
Step 2.1.2.1
Use the Binomial Theorem.
Step 2.1.2.2
Apply the distributive property.
Step 2.1.2.3
Remove parentheses.
Step 2.1.2.4
Simplify each term.
Step 2.1.2.4.1
Move to the left of .
Step 2.1.2.4.2
Move to the left of .
Step 2.1.2.5
Apply the distributive property.
Step 2.1.2.6
Simplify.
Step 2.1.2.6.1
Multiply .
Step 2.1.2.6.1.1
Combine and .
Step 2.1.2.6.1.2
Combine and .
Step 2.1.2.6.2
Cancel the common factor of .
Step 2.1.2.6.2.1
Factor out of .
Step 2.1.2.6.2.2
Cancel the common factor.
Step 2.1.2.6.2.3
Rewrite the expression.
Step 2.1.2.6.3
Cancel the common factor of .
Step 2.1.2.6.3.1
Factor out of .
Step 2.1.2.6.3.2
Cancel the common factor.
Step 2.1.2.6.3.3
Rewrite the expression.
Step 2.1.2.6.4
Multiply .
Step 2.1.2.6.4.1
Combine and .
Step 2.1.2.6.4.2
Combine and .
Step 2.1.2.7
Simplify each term.
Step 2.1.2.7.1
Move to the left of .
Step 2.1.2.7.2
Move to the left of .
Step 2.1.2.8
The final answer is .
Step 2.2
Reorder.
Step 2.2.1
Move .
Step 2.2.2
Move .
Step 2.2.3
Move .
Step 2.2.4
Move .
Step 2.2.5
Reorder and .
Step 2.3
Find the components of the definition.
Step 3
Plug in the components.
Step 4
Step 4.1
Simplify the numerator.
Step 4.1.1
Subtract from .
Step 4.1.2
Add and .
Step 4.1.3
Factor out of .
Step 4.1.3.1
Factor out of .
Step 4.1.3.2
Factor out of .
Step 4.1.3.3
Factor out of .
Step 4.1.3.4
Factor out of .
Step 4.1.3.5
Factor out of .
Step 4.1.4
To write as a fraction with a common denominator, multiply by .
Step 4.1.5
Combine and .
Step 4.1.6
Combine the numerators over the common denominator.
Step 4.1.7
Simplify the numerator.
Step 4.1.7.1
Factor out of .
Step 4.1.7.1.1
Factor out of .
Step 4.1.7.1.2
Factor out of .
Step 4.1.7.1.3
Factor out of .
Step 4.1.7.2
Move to the left of .
Step 4.1.8
To write as a fraction with a common denominator, multiply by .
Step 4.1.9
Combine and .
Step 4.1.10
Combine the numerators over the common denominator.
Step 4.1.11
Simplify the numerator.
Step 4.1.11.1
Apply the distributive property.
Step 4.1.11.2
Multiply by .
Step 4.1.11.3
Rewrite using the commutative property of multiplication.
Step 4.1.11.4
Move to the left of .
Step 4.1.12
Combine exponents.
Step 4.1.12.1
Combine and .
Step 4.1.12.2
Combine and .
Step 4.1.12.3
Combine and .
Step 4.1.13
Remove unnecessary parentheses.
Step 4.1.14
Move to the left of .
Step 4.2
Multiply the numerator by the reciprocal of the denominator.
Step 4.3
Combine.
Step 4.4
Cancel the common factor of .
Step 4.4.1
Cancel the common factor.
Step 4.4.2
Rewrite the expression.
Step 4.5
Multiply by .
Step 5