Final answer:
Function notation is used in mathematics to represent mathematical functions by using a letter followed by parentheses. It allows us to describe and evaluate functions by substituting different values for the input variable.
Step-by-step explanation:
Function notation is commonly used in mathematics to represent mathematical functions. It is a way to describe the relationship between inputs and outputs in a function.
In function notation, a function is represented by a letter followed by parentheses, such as f(x) or g(t). The letter represents the name of the function, while the value inside the parentheses represents the input.
For example, let's consider the function f(x) = 2x + 3. In this function, x represents the input or the independent variable, and 2x + 3 represents the output or the dependent variable. By substituting different values for x, we can find the corresponding values for f(x).
For instance, when x = 1, f(1) = 2(1) + 3 = 5. When x = 2, f(2) = 2(2) + 3 = 7. The function notation allows us to easily describe and evaluate different functions.