Consider two situations: Situation 1: In Lakeville, Melinda's television cable bill is a flat rate of $50 per month, plus $1.50 for every movie she rents. After one month of service, her bill is $66.25. Situation 2: In Oceanside, Kimberly's television cable bill is a flat rate of $60 dollars per month, plus $1.25 for every movie she rents. If you were to model these two situations with equations to solve for all the unknowns, what similarities and differences would the equations have? Can you solve for all the unknowns in both situations?

Question

Mathematics

Trevor

1 May, 13:39

Consider two situations: Situation 1: In Lakeville, Melinda's television cable bill is a flat rate of $50 per month, plus $1.50 for every movie she rents. After one month of service, her bill is $66.25. Situation 2: In Oceanside, Kimberly's television cable bill is a flat rate of $60 dollars per month, plus $1.25 for every movie she rents. If you were to model these two situations with equations to solve for all the unknowns, what similarities and differences would the equations have? Can you solve for all the unknowns in both situations?

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Tabitha Mercado · Answer 1

Situation 1 : flat rate of 50 ... 1.50 per movie ... after 1 month her bill is 66.25

66.25 = 1.50x + 50

situation 2 : flat rate of 60 ... 1.25 for every movie ...

y = 1.25x + 60

both situations have a flat rate fee plus a charge for every movie. In situation 1, u can solve for x (the number of movies rented) because u know how much she was charged. However, in situation 2, without more information, u cannot solve this equation ... what u would need to solve it would either be the number of movies rented or the total bill showing what she was charged. So basically, in situation 1, u are given more information then in situation 2 ... enough information to be able to solve for the variable x ... whereas, in situation 2, u are not given enough info to solve for a variable and get a numerical answer