help me pls what is the rate of change and the function

Answer:
Step-by-step explanation:
Rate of change of a function between x = b and x = a,
Rate of change = [tex]\frac{f(b)-f(a)}{b-a}[/tex]
From the given table,
Rate of change of the given function between x = 3 and x = 5,
f(5) = -26
f(3) = -2
Rate of change = [tex]\frac{-26+2}{5-3}[/tex]
= -12
Since, rate of change for the given function is constant, function is a linear function.