Question

A gardener is planting two types of trees:

Type A is three feet tall and grows at a rate of 15 inches per year.
Type B is four feet tall and grows at a rate of 10 inches per year.
Algebraically determine exactly how many years it will take for these trees to be the same height.

Answer 1

First convert the feet to inches:

3 feet= 36 in.; 4 feet=48 in.

Make an equation for each one:

Type A: h=36+15x

Type B: h=48+10x

Since the questions wants the heights to be equal, h=h so you can substitute so you have:

36+15x=48+10x

5x=12

x=2 2/5 years or 2.4 years