Final answer:
After calculating and simplifying the expression 2f(x) - 18f−1(x) with f(x) = 3x + 4, we find that it simplifies to the integer 32.
Step-by-step explanation:
We need to decipher the expression 2f(x) - 18f−1(x), where f(x) = 3x + 4. To find f−1(x), the inverse function of f(x), we must first switch x and y in the equation of f and solve for y. Thus, x = 3y + 4 becomes y = (x - 4) / 3. Now we can replace f(x) with its expression and f−1(x) with the inverse we calculated.
Let's simplify the given expression:
- 2f(x) = 2(3x + 4)
- 18f−1(x) = 18((x - 4) / 3)
Now calculate each part:
- 2f(x) = 2(3x + 4) = 6x + 8
- 18f−1(x) = 18((x - 4) / 3) = 6x - 24
Now subtract the two expressions:
- 2f(x) - 18f−1(x) = (6x + 8) - (6x - 24)
- 2f(x) - 18f−1(x) = 6x + 8 - 6x + 24
- 2f(x) - 18f−1(x) = 32
The simplified integer we get from the expression 2f(x) - 18f−1(x) is 32.