Final answer:
The linear equation representing the total monthly cost (y) for a TELUS cell phone contract based on the number of minutes used (x) is y = 22 + 0.44x.
Step-by-step explanation:
To write a linear equation where y represents the total cost for the cell phone per month, and x represents the number of minutes spent on the phone each month, use the base rate and cost per minute. The base rate is a fixed monthly charge of $22, and the cost per minute is $0.44.
Therefore, the equation that models the total monthly cost (y) based on the number of minutes used (x) can be expressed as:
y = 22 + 0.44x
This equation shows that each minute will add $0.44 to the base rate of $22 when calculating the total cost.