Final answer:
The average rate of change for the function h(x) = –5x^2 + 12x over the interval 2 ≤ x ≤ 5 is -23.
Step-by-step explanation:
The average rate of change for the function h(x) = –5x^2 + 12x over the interval 2 ≤ x ≤ 5 can be found by calculating the slope of the secant line between the two points.
First, we need to find the values of h(x) at x = 2 and x = 5:
h(2) = -5(2)^2 + 12(2) = -20 + 24 = 4
h(5) = -5(5)^2 + 12(5) = -125 + 60 = -65
Then, we can calculate the average rate of change using the formula:
Average Rate of Change = (h(5) - h(2)) / (5 - 2) = (-65 - 4) / (5 - 2) = -69 / 3 = -23
Therefore, the average rate of change for the function h(x) over the interval 2 ≤ x ≤ 5 is -23.