Final answer:
The student's question is about plotting a family's grocery bill on a coordinate grid, which is a mathematical concept. The family's spending on groceries ranges from $110 to $170, and this data can be visually represented on a grid to track spending habits over time. It also references the broader context of American households' budgeting challenges and spending patterns.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves plotting points that represent a family's grocery bill on a coordinate grid, which falls under the subject of mathematics. The figures range from a minimum of $110 to a maximum of $170, indicating that this is the span of the family's monthly grocery expenses over the past year. When plotting these points, one could use the y-axis to represent the dollar amount spent on groceries and the x-axis to represent each month or instance of grocery spending recorded.
To reflect on the importance of understanding spending, consider the financial challenges faced by many American households. Despite a median family income in 2014 of $57,939, a significant number of families still fell below the poverty line. With a limited budget, for example, $6,000 annually allotted to food expenses for a family earning $17,916, we see the importance of stretching each dollar. This financial pressure underscores the necessity for families to track and manage their spending habits carefully.
The Consumer Expenditure Survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that, on average, U.S. households spent about one-third of their consumption on food and vehicle expenses. These consumption choices highlight how essential and significant grocery expenses are within a family's budget.