Question

Use finite differences to determine if each relation is linear or quadratic. x: -4,-3,-2,-1,0,1,2. Y: 5,0,-3,-4,-3,0,5. What are the first and second differences?

Answer 1

First differences:
-5, -3, -1, 1, 3, 5

Second differences:
2, 2, 2, 2, 2

Since the second differences are all the same, the relation is quadratic.