Solve. Assume the exercise describes a linear relationship. When writing a linear equation, write the equation in
slope-intercept form.
-In 1995 the United States recovered 26% of its municipal solid wastes through recycling, up from 17% in 1990. Let y represent the percentage recycled and x the number of years since 1990. Find a linear equation that fits this
Data.
A)y = -1.8x + 7
B)y = 1.8x + 17
C)y = 0.9x - 17
D)y = 1.8x + 24

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

We know that in 1990, the percentage recycled was 17% (when x = 0) and in 1995, the percentage recycled was 26% (when x = 5). To find the slope, we use the formula:
slope = (change in y)/(change in x) = (26-17)/(5-0) = 1.8
To find the y-intercept, we can use the point-slope form of a linear equation:
y - 17 = 1.8(x - 0)
y - 17 = 1.8x
y = 1.8x + 17
Therefore, the equation that fits the data is y = 1.8x + 17, which is option B.

Solve Assume the Exercise Describes a Linear Relationship