Function Help please: if f(x) = 5x - 1, what is f(a - 2)?

if f(x) = 5x - 1
f(a - 2)???????

It's just asking what the function would become if you made the substitution x = a - 2.

OK so what does that mean? I am very new to algebra.

rpolly66613 said:

OK so what does that mean?

Click to expand...

For any given function f(x), you would find f(#) by plugging "#" in wherever there is an "x".

In this case, f(x) = 5x - 1. Then:

. . . . .f(1) = 5[1] - 1 = 5 - 1 = 4

. . . . .f(-3) = 5[-3] - 1 = -15 - 1 = -16

. . . . .f(q) = 5[q] - 1 = 5q - 1

. . . . .f(t + 5) = 5[t + 5] - 1 = 5t + 25 - 1 = 5t + 24

...and so forth.

Use this same process to evaluate f(a - 2).

Eliz.