Question

Is the relationship between the variables in the table a direct variation, an inverse variation, or neither? If it is a direct or inverse variation, write a function to model it.

A.
direct variation; y = 12x

B.
inverse variation; y = 432/x

C.
neither

Answer 1

The given choices for the model to fit the data are
y = 12x
y = 432/x

To determine whether any of the models fits the data, construct the table shown below.

x Data y=12x y=432/x
---- ---------- ---------- -------------
-6 -72 -72 -72
-4 -48 -48 -108
-3 -36 -36 -144
1 12 12 432

It is clear that the model y = 12x fits the data perfectly while the inverse function does not.

Answer: A. Direct variation, y = 12x