Thread: determining a and b

f(x)= 2x-1. 1<x<3
f(x)= x^2+ax+b, lx-2l greater than or equal to 1

so i know that the absolute value means x is greater than or equal to 3 and x is also less than or equal to 1.

so are the answers:
a=-2 and b=2?

Is the question:

What are the values of a and b that make f(x) a continuous function?

yes. sorry i forgot to add that

Ok, then you need the limit of the function to be the same when x approaches 1 from the left and from the right, and also the same when x approaches 3 from the left and from the right.

This means

when x = 1 and when x = 3.

Substituting those values of x into the equation, we get these two equations:





Simplifying, we get







You are correct.