In two or more complete sentences, explain how to find the average rate of change of a function.

To find the average rate of change of a function, you need to follow these steps:

1. Choose two points on the function: Select two distinct values of the independent variable, such as x1 and x2.

2. Calculate the corresponding function values: Plug the chosen values of x into the function to find the corresponding y values, denoted as f(x1) and f(x2).

3. Determine the change in y: Subtract the initial function value from the final function value to find the difference in y, which is f(x2) - f(x1).

4. Calculate the change in x: Subtract the initial x value from the final x value to find the difference in x, which is x2 - x1.

5. Find the average rate of change: Divide the change in y by the change in x, which is (f(x2) - f(x1)) / (x2 - x1).

The resulting value represents the average rate of change of the function between the two chosen points.