explain rate of change formula
The rate of change formula is used to calculate the amount of change that occurs in a given time period, with respect to a variable such as time, distance, or cost. It is represented as:
Rate of change = ∆y/∆x
where ∆y indicates the change in the dependent variable (y) in a given time period, and ∆x represents the change in the independent variable (x) over that same time period.
For example, if the price of a product increases from $100 to $120 over a period of 5 years, the rate of change in price would be:
Rate of change = (∆y)/(∆x) = (120-100) / 5
Rate of change = 4 (i.e., the price is increasing at a rate of $4 per year).
This formula is commonly used in many fields including finance, economics, physics, and engineering to understand the rate at which a variable changes over time.