If a = 5 then defining b = a2 produces b = 25. Now define
a = . The value of b is now
b = 2.
Evaluate followed by Simplify yields
=
=
2x + h + 3
Select the expression
= and with the CTRL key down drag the expression to create a copy.
Select the expression
x + h and with the CTRL
key down choose Expand. Add similar steps (use Factor to
rewrite
2xh + h2 + 3h) until you have the following:
=
=
=
=
=
2x + h + 3
To rewrite
f (x) = maxx2 -1, 7 - x2 as a
piecewise-defined function, first note that the equation
x2 -1 = 7 - x2
has the solutions x = - 2 and x = 2. The function f is given by
g(x) =
As a check, note that
f (- 5) = 24,
g(- 5) = 24,
f (1) = 6,
g(1) = 6,
f (3) = 8, and
g(3) = 8.