Question

What is `p(2)` if `p ( x ) = x ^ { 4} + 3x ^ { 3} - 6x ^ { 2} - 8x`?

Answer 1

See a solution process below:

Explanation:

To find `p(2)` substitute `color(red)(2)` for each occurrence of `color(red)(x)` in the function `p(x)` and calculate the result:

`p(color(red)(x)) = color(red)(x)^4 + 3color(red)(x)^3 - 6color(red)(x)^2 - 8color(red)(x)` becomes:

`p(color(red)(2)) = color(red)(2)^4 + (3 * color(red)(2)^3) - (6 * color(red)(2)^2) - (8 * color(red)(2))`

`p(color(red)(2)) = 16 + (3 * 8) - (6 * 4) - 16`

`p(color(red)(2)) = 16 + 24 - 24 - 16`

`p(color(red)(2)) = 0`