We can often model real-life scenarios with a linear equation of the form

\text{(total value)} = \text{(starting value)} + \text{(rate of change)}n.

Here, rate of change means the same as unit rate.

To illustrate, suppose that Emily has \[math]150 in savings, and she takes a job that pays \[/math]100 per day.

After 1 day, the total amount ( T ) of dollars that she has is

T = 150 + 100(1).

After 2 days, the total amount of dollars that she has is

T = 150 + 100(2).

Following this pattern, after n days, the total amount of dollars that she has is

T = 150 + 100n.

We can interpret this equation as follows:

  • 150 represents the starting value because Emily started with \[math]150 in savings.

  • 100 represents the rate of change because Emily earns \[/math]100 per day.

FLAG

Dominica borrowed \[math]2,500 from a bank, and she agreed to pay the money back at a rate of \[/math]150 per month. What expression gives the amount L outstanding on the loan after n months?

EXPLANATION

We will use a linear equation of the form \text{(total value)} = \text{(starting value)} + \text{(rate of change)}n.

We fill in the formula as follows:

  • The total value is L, the amount of money outstanding on the loan.

  • The starting value is 2,500, since Dominica took a loan of \[math]2,500 from the bank.

  • The rate of change is -150, since Dominica pays off the loan at a rate of \[/math]150 per month. Note that the rate of change is negative because the loan amount decreases as Dominica pays it back.

Substituting into the formula, we reach

\begin{align*} L &= 2,500 - 150n. \end{align*}

FLAG

A truck leaves for a long journey with $30$ gallons of gas in its tank. The truck consumes an average of $0.2$ gallons of gas per mile. What expression gives the amount gas $G,$ in gallons, remaining in the tank $n$ miles since the truck started its journey?

a
$G=30- \dfrac{n}{0.2}$
b
$G= 0.2 n$
c
$G = \dfrac{30}{n}$
d
$G = 30 -0.2n$
e
$G= 30 +0.2n$

Sam buys a new car and drives the car home at a steady speed of $46$ miles per hour. According to the car's dashboard, it traveled a total distance of $10$ miles before Sam's purchase. What expression relates the total distance $D$ that the car has traveled after $n$ hours of driving home?

a
$D =46-10n$
b
$D = 10+46n$
c
$D = 46 n-10$
d
$D = 46+10n$
e
$D = 10 -46n $

Fred was running out of cookies, so he decided to bake a batch of 10 more cookies each day. After 3 days, he had 35 cookies. What expression represents the number of cookies C that Fred has after n days?

EXPLANATION

We will use a linear equation of the form \text{(total value)} = \text{(starting value)} + \text{(rate of change)}n

We fill in the formula as follows:

  • The total value is C, the number of cookies that Fred has.

  • We do not know the number of cookies that Fred started with. We will call it A.

  • The rate of change is 10, since Fred bakes a batch of 10 additional cookies each day.

Substituting into the formula, we reach

\begin{align*} C &= A + 10n. \end{align*}

To figure out the value of A, we can use the fact that after n=3 days, Fred had C=35 cookies. We substitute this information into our equation and solve for A\mathbin{:}

\begin{align*} C &= A + 10n \\[5pt] (35) &= A + 10(3) \\[5pt] 35 &= A + 30 \\[5pt] 5 &= A \end{align*}

So, the formula is

\begin{align*} C &= 5 + 10n. \end{align*}

FLAG

Mandy reads her storybook at a rate of $15$ pages every day. After $7$ days, she will have $13$ pages of the book remaining. What expression shows the number of pages $P$ remaining after $n$ days?

a
$P = 118 -15n$
b
$P = \dfrac{15}{n}$
c
$P =118- \dfrac{n}{15}$
d
$P =92- \dfrac{n}{15}$
e
$P = 92 -15n$

Jerry works at a pizzeria and makes $2$ pizzas every hour. After $5$ hours, he has $22$ pizzas in stock. What expression represents the number of pizzas $P$ in stock after $n$ hours?

a
$P=12+2n$
b
$P=12-2n$
c
$P=32+\dfrac{n}{2}$
d
$P=32-2n$
e
$P=12+\dfrac{n}{2}$

A bus leaves town for a 270 mile journey. The remaining distance, D , to complete the trip after n hours is given by D = 270 - 45 n. How long does it take for the bus to travel one-half of the total distance?

EXPLANATION

One half of the total distance is \dfrac{270}{2} = 135.

If the bus has traveled half the distance, the remaining distance is also equal to half the distance. So, we want to solve for the number of hours n it takes until the bus has D=135 miles remaining.

We can do this by substituting into the equation D=270-45n and solving for n as follows:

\begin{align*} 135 &= 270 - 45n\\[5pt] 135 + 45n &= 270 \\[5pt] 45n &= 270 - 135 \\[5pt] 45n &= 135 \\[5pt] n &= \dfrac{135}{45} \\[5pt] n &=3. \end{align*}

Therefore, the bus takes 3 hours to travel half of the total distance.

FLAG

Jacklyn walks the $3$ mile journey to school every day. The remaining distance, $D$, to the school after $n$ hours is given by

\[ D = 3 - 6n. \]

How long does it take Jacklyn to walk to school?

a
$30$ minutes
b
$60$ minutes
c
$40$ minutes
d
$50$ minutes
e
$20$ minutes

Harry collects hats. The number of hats, $H,$ Harry has after $n$ years of collecting is given by

\[ H = 8+4n. \]

How long does it take Harry to collect $60$ hats?

a
$8$ years
b
$16$ years
c
$6$ years
d
$15$ years
e
$13$ years
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