How do you evaluate the function #p(x)=x^2-2# for #p(-2)#?

2 Answers
May 14, 2018

#p(-2)=2#

Explanation:

#p(x)=x^2-2#

When #x=-2#, #p(x)=p(-2)#

#p(-2)=(-2)^2-2#
#color(white)(p(-2))=2#

May 14, 2018

I tried this:

Explanation:

When you write:

#p(-2)#

it means that you want to evaluate your function for #x=-2#, so you need to subtitute #x# for #-2# in #p#:

#p(-2)=(-2)^2-2#

as you can see #x# became #-2#. Let us evaluate the value of our function at this value of #x#:

#p(-2)=color(red)(4)-2=2#

because: #(-2)^2=4#