Answer: (1): When Mr. nichols began recording data, 35,000 tortillas had already been produced.
(2) The total number of tortillas produced 2 hours after he began recording the data was 59,000.
(3) The total number of tortillas produced 4.166 hours after he began recording the data was 85,000
Explanation:
Given equation:-
, where x is the time, in hours, and y is the number of tortillas produced.
(1): When Mr. Nichols began recording data, x should be zero as starting time.
So, at x=0,
![y=35,000](https://img.qammunity.org/2020/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/goan3ugdsgytp5d9cnn4gj80w501ori70a.png)
Thus, When Mr. Nichols began recording data, 35,000 tortillas had already been produced.
(2) To find the number of tortillas produced 2 hours after he began recording the data.
Put x=2 in the equation, we get
![y=12,000(2)+35,000=24,000+35,000=59,000](https://img.qammunity.org/2020/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/m0f74h824x32bists63rme1p3jied6ek9x.png)
Thus, The total number of tortillas produced 2 hours after he began recording the data was 59,000.
(3) Given number of tortillas= 85,000
Put y=85,000 in the equation, we get
![85,000=12,000x+35,000\\\Rightarrow12,000x=50,000\\\Rightarrow\ x=(50,000)/(12,000)\\\Rightarrow\ x=4.16666\approx4.166\ hours](https://img.qammunity.org/2020/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/8z3sk9qr32rlgwfan7z0abes0qqel0vz0d.png)