Final answer:
The average rate of change of f(x) = x^2 + x - 6 between x = 1 and x = 3 is 6.5.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the average rate of change of the function f(x) = x^2 + x - 6 between x = 1 and x = 3, we need to calculate the difference in the function values and divide it by the difference in x values.
First, we evaluate the function at x = 1 and x = 3:
f(1) = 1^2 + 1 - 6 = -4
f(3) = 3^2 + 3 - 6 = 9
Next, we calculate the difference in function values:
Δf = 9 - (-4) = 13
Finally, we calculate the difference in x values:
Δx = 3 - 1 = 2
Now, we can find the average rate of change:
Average rate of change = Δf/Δx = 13/2 = 6.5
Therefore, the average rate of change of f(x) between x = 1 and x = 3 is 6.5.