Problem: If \displaystyle f\left(x\right)=x^2-4x, find
(a)\displaystyle f\left(-5\right)
(b) \displaystyle f\left(y^2+1\right)
(c) \displaystyle f\left(x+\Delta x\right)
(d) \displaystyle f\left(x+1\right)-f\left(x-1\right)
Solution:
Part (a)
\begin{align*}
f\left(-5\right) & =\left(-5\right)^2-4\left(-5\right)\\
& =25+20\\
& =45 \ \qquad \ \color{DarkOrange} \left( \text{Answer} \right)
\end{align*}Part (b)
\begin{align*}
f\left(y^2+1\right) & = \left(y^2+1\right)^2-4\left(y^2+1\right)\\
& =y^4+2y^2+1-4y^2-4\\
& =y^4-2y^2-3 \ \qquad \ \color{DarkOrange} \left( \text{Answer} \right)
\end{align*}Part (c)
\begin{align*}
f\left(x+\Delta x\right)&=\left(x+\Delta x\right)^2-4\left(x+\Delta x\right)\\
& =\left(x+\Delta x\right)\left[\left(x+\Delta x\right)-4\right]\\
& =\left(x+\Delta x\right)\left(x+\Delta x-4\right) \ \qquad \ \color{DarkOrange} \left( \text{Answer} \right)\\
\end{align*}Part (d)
\begin{align*}
f\left(x+1\right)-f\left(x-1\right) & =\left[\left(x+1\right)^2-4\left(x+1\right)\right]-\left[\left(x-1\right)^2-4\left(x-1\right)\right]\\
& = \left[x^2+2x+1-4x-4\right]-\left[x^2-2x+1-4x+4\right]\\
& =x^2-x^2+2x-4x+2x+4x+1-4-1-4\\
& =4x-8\\
& =4\left(x-2\right) \ \qquad \ \color{DarkOrange} \left( \text{Answer} \right)
\end{align*}