Algebra Book (Guide # 1), Question # 9, Page 162 (4th Ed)

[divinedookie]

Pertaining to question # 9 on page 162 and the corresponding answer, is there a difference between a minimum value of f(x) and extreme value of f(x)?

I understood question #9 to mean that if we solve for f(x) as given by the equation, what is the lowest integer x can be. When solving for the equation I get (x-1) (x+5) = 0, and thus, the minimum value x can be under the given equation is -5.

I do not understand what first and foremost an extreme value of x is as is stated by the answer on page 167, and how the extreme value can be implied by the way question #9 is framed.

Thank you very much. :)

[tommywallach]

Hey divine,

You seem confused about how functions work.

X is x.
f(x) is not x.

X is the input.
f(x) is the output.

So the question wants the minimum of f(x) (the output) not x (the input).

The other mistake is that you're solving this equation as if it equals 0. But it doesn't. Nowhere does it say it equals zero until you say it equals zero. In fact, as you can see, the result is going to be negative.

Hope that helps!

-t

P.S. "Extreme" just means a very high or very low number.