Final answer:
The name of the function g(w) = w^3 - 4 is "g", and is indicated by the letter before the parentheses in the notation of the function.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student has asked about the name of the given mathematical function g(w) = w^3 - 4. The name of this function is g, which is the letter that comes before the parentheses in the notation of the function. this notation indicates that g is the function that takes an input w and maps it to w raised to the third power and then subtracts 4. therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is option A, which is (a) g(w). the rest of the options are incorrect: (b) describes the rule or equation that g(w) evaluates to when w is provided, (c) is just the letter g without context, and (d) is a different expression altogether and does not represent the given function.