Question

Evaluate h(x) = 2.8x3 + 0.01x2 − 1 for x = 1 and x = 2

Answer 1

• h(1) = 1.81
• h(2) = 21.44

Explanation:

Put the numbers where x is in the equation and do the arithmetic. For purposes of evaluation, it is often convenient to write the equation in Horner form:

h(x) = (2.8x +.01)x^2 -1

Then ...

h(1) = (2.8 +.01)·1 -1 = 1.81

h(2) = (2.8·2 +.01)·2² -1 = 5.61·4 -1 = 21.44

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If you have several evaluations to do, it is convenient to use a calculator or spreadsheet to do them.