Evaluate f(-2) for f(x) = x^3 - 6x.

• A. -4
• B. 4
• C. 8
• D. 0

Answer: (B)

Evaluating a function at a specific input means substituting that input into the expression for the function. For f(x) = x^3 - 6x, plug in x = -2: (-2)^3 - 6(-2). Compute (-2)^3 = -8, and -6(-2) = 12. Adding them gives -8 + 12 = 4. So the value at -2 is 4. The signs matter here: cubing a negative yields a negative, while multiplying two negatives yields a positive, and the order of operations has you handle the exponent before the multiplication and then the addition.