Lesson 2-A: Rates of Change
We have seen that the slope of a line can be interpreted as its rate of change. The rate of change
function is defined as the rate at which the output quantity changes with respect to the input
quantity. If the graph of a function is not a straight line, we use the terminology of an average rate
of change between any two points on its graph.
Average Rate of Change
The average rate of change between two input values is the total change of the function values
(output) divided by the change in the input values. Given the value of a function at different
VOCABULARY
points (𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) and 𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2
Average Rate of Change of f on [𝒙𝒙𝟏𝟏 , 𝒙𝒙𝟐𝟐 ] where 𝒇𝒇 𝒙𝒙𝟏𝟏 = 𝒚𝒚𝟏𝟏 and 𝒇𝒇 𝒙𝒙𝟐𝟐 = 𝒚𝒚𝟐𝟐
∆𝑦𝑦 𝑦𝑦2 − 𝑦𝑦1
𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = = 𝑚𝑚 =
∆𝑥𝑥 𝑥𝑥2 − 𝑥𝑥1
EX #1: Find the average rate of change of 𝑓𝑓 𝑥𝑥 = 𝑥𝑥 3 − 4𝑥𝑥 over the interval [1, 3].
3
f 3 FLI 15 37 713 3 413
3 1 f 3 IS
3 44
f1 1
9 f 1 3
EX #2: The table below is data from the University of Michigan Center for Sustainable Systems that
shows the U.S. Annual Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Generation. MSW is commonly called
“trash” or “garbage” which generally refers to common household, office and retail waste,
but excludes industrial, hazardous, and construction wastes.
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
2016
2017
Total MSW 2018
88.1 104.4 121.1 127.8 151.6 166.3 208.3 217.3 243.5 253.7 251.1 262.1 268.1 268.7 292.4
(million tons)
A. Find the average rate of change in trash between 1985 and 1990.
T 1990 TC1985 208.3 166.3 8.4 milliontons
1990 1985 5
B. Did the rate of trash ever decline in this 58-year period? When? What was the average rate
during this period?
T 2010 512005 251.1 253.7 yes it decreased
0.52 by 0.52 million
2010 2005 5 tons
© 2022 Jean Adams Flamingo Math.com
EX #3: After surgery you are given a pain reliever, the level of the medication will decrease slowly
over time. Let 𝐴𝐴(𝑡𝑡) represent the medicine’s concentration in your body. Write an expression
for the rate of change of the medicine’s concentration level over the period from 𝑡𝑡 = 15
minutes to 𝑡𝑡 = 90 minutes.
49
541 CaE
Distance vs. Time Graphs
EX #4: Let’s explore the distance a car travels over a
two-hour period shown at right.
A. What is the average rate the car travels?
Distance, in miles
10
Day I 10801 8 Min
81491 somph
B. How fast is the car going from 𝑡𝑡 = 30 minutes
to 𝑡𝑡 = 60 minutes?
(Be sure to change minutes into hours.) Time, in minutes
D160 D130
60 30
405020 Yin FYI 40mph
C. When is the car traveling the fastest? How fast?
between to min and 90min Dlgof
D170
805 Eo 3
gomph Emmin
D. What is the slope of the graph between 𝑡𝑡 = 90 and 𝑡𝑡 = 120 minutes? What does the slope
Imf
represent in relation to the context of the problem?
121120
120 90
D190
100581 38
mimin
4th
slope is the average rate oftravel
40mph
E. What is the speed of the car at 45 minutes?
frogto 120
1
1
14 40,1 E Emin Tmnt
30mph
©©2022
2020Jean
JeanAdams
Adams FlamingoMath.com
Flamingo Math.com
Lesson 2-B: Rates of Change
EX #5: Suppose an object is launched upward from a height of 120 feet with an initial velocity of
48 feet per second. The height of the object t seconds after it is launched is given by
ℎ 𝑡𝑡 = −16𝑡𝑡 2 + 48𝑡𝑡 + 120.
A. Find the average velocity in the first two seconds after the object is thrown.
hÉ 15221 16ft see
B. Find the average velocity from 𝑡𝑡 = 2 to 𝑡𝑡 = 4.
56
hl4I 121 48ft see
EX #6: For each of the following functions, describe the average rate of change over the given interval
as positive or negative. Try to do this without substitution values.
A. 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 2 on [2, 3] B. 𝑦𝑦 = log 𝑥𝑥 on [0.01, 1]
positive positive
1 𝑥𝑥
C. 𝑓𝑓 𝑥𝑥 = 2
on [−1, 0] D. 𝑔𝑔 𝑥𝑥 = 5 − 2𝑥𝑥 2 on [1, 4]
negative negative
EX #7: Let 𝐴𝐴(𝑡𝑡) be the altitude of a rocket t seconds after launch. Write an expression for the average
velocity of the rocket from time 𝑡𝑡 = 5 to 𝑡𝑡 = 5 + ℎ in terms of 𝐴𝐴(𝑡𝑡).
RISthRI RIS th RLS
5th S h
EX #8: Given 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 2 − 2𝑥𝑥 + 3 find the average rate of change of the function
on the following intervals:
A. [−1, 1] B. [1, 3]
f4 221 2
4311
C. Describe the relationship between the rate of change and the
621 2
behavior of the function.
on C 1,1 the rate is negative thegraph is dec
on 1,33 the rate ispositive the graph is Inc
D. How would you describe the rate of change at 𝑥𝑥 = 1?
the rate is zero
©©2022
2020Jean
JeanAdams
Adams FlamingoMath.com
Flamingo Math.com
EX #9: A remote control car travels a distance 𝑠𝑠 𝑡𝑡 = 10𝑡𝑡 2 feet in the first t seconds after it starts.
A. Calculate the average velocity of the car on the intervals shown in the table below:
Interval 1.99, 2 [1.999, 2] [1.999, 2.001] [2,2.001] [2,2.01] [2, 2.1]
Average
Velocity 39.9 39.99 40 40.01 40.1 41
B. Based on your calculations, can you approximate the exact velocity of the car at 2 seconds
after it starts?
it is approximately 40 seconds
EX #10: The traffic flow at a particular intersection is modeled by the function F defined by
𝑡𝑡
𝐹𝐹 𝑡𝑡 = 96 + 5 sin 2 for 0 ≤ 𝑡𝑡 ≤ 30 minutes.
A. What is the average rate of change of the traffic flow over the time interval 3 ≤ 𝑡𝑡 ≤ 8 ?
Indicate the units of measure. What does this rate tell you about the flow of traffic during
this time?
thetraffic flow is decreasing
18131 1 gg
by1.754 vehicles min from
31 18
B. Is it possible to find the rate of change at a specific time? Why or why not?
youcan onlyestimate on a verysmall interval but at
aspecifictimewould cause division by zero
C. Let’s explore the rates of change at two points over small intervals. Estimate the rate of
change of traffic flow at 𝑡𝑡 = 8 by finding the average rates from three different intervals;
𝑡𝑡 = 8 to 8.1 , 𝑡𝑡 = 8 to 8.01 , and 𝑡𝑡 = 8 to 8.001.
t1
ftp If fCfIfIfI
1.586 1.629 1.634
D. Explain the meaning of your findings in part [C] in relation to the traffic flow.
att 8 the traffic flow is about 1.63 So
the traffic flow is decreasing
©©2022
2020Jean
JeanAdams
Adams FlamingoMath.com
Flamingo Math.com
