Final answer:
To represent the number of gallons of water in the tub after x minutes, the equation y = 30 - 6x can be used.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks us to write an equation that represents the number of gallons of water in the tub after a certain number of minutes. Let's break down the information given:
- After 2 minutes, the tub holds 30 gallons of water.
- Three minutes later (after a total of 5 minutes), the tub holds 12 gallons of water.
We can use this information to find the rate at which the bathtub is draining. To do this, we'll subtract the amount of water after 5 minutes from the amount after 2 minutes to get the change in water: 30 gallons - 12 gallons = 18 gallons. This means the tub is draining 18 gallons over a span of 3 minutes, which is equivalent to a rate of 6 gallons per minute.
Now, we can write the equation that represents the number of gallons of water in the tub after x minutes. Let y represent the number of gallons, and x represent the number of minutes. We can use the equation y = 30 - 6x, where 30 is the initial amount of water in the tub at 2 minutes, and 6x is the amount of water drained over x minutes at a rate of 6 gallons per minute.