Final answer:
The estimated value of f'(30), using the slope between the points (20, 16) and (40, 23), is 0.35, corresponding to option b.
Step-by-step explanation:
To approximate the value of f'(30) based on the given values, we can use the two points closest to x=30, which are (20, 16) and (40, 23).
The derivative at a certain point is essentially the slope of the tangent line to the curve at that point, which we can estimate using the slope of the secant line between these two points.
The formula for the slope is:
Slope (m) = (f(x₂) - f(x₁)) / (x₂ - x₁)
Therefore, the slope between the points (20, 16) and (40, 23) is:
m = (23 - 16) / (40 - 20) = 7 / 20 = 0.35
This means the estimated value of f'(30) is 0.35, which corresponds to option b.