Quantitative Analysis for Management, 13/e

M6.2 Slope of a Nonlinear Function

Figure M6.2 provides a graph of the function

Figure M6.2 Graph of Quadratic Function

Figure M6.2 Full Alternative Text

$$Y=X^2-4X+6$$

If a curve is nonlinear, we can find the slope at any point by finding the slope of a tangent line at that point.

Notice that this is not a straight line. To determine the slope of a curve at any point, we find the slope of a line tangent to the curve at this point. For example, if we wish to find the slope of the line when $X=3,$ we find a line that is tangent at that point. To find the slope of a line, we use Equation M6-2, which requires us to have two points. We want the slope ...