Answer: an = 86 + 2(n – 1)
Explanation:
The answer an = 86 + 2(n – 1) represents the height of the tree during the nth month because it follows the pattern of the tree growing at a constant rate of 2 inches per month.
In the third month, the height of the tree is 86 inches, which is represented by the constant term 86. To find the height of the tree during the nth month, we need to account for the growth of the tree over time. The constant rate of growth is 2 inches per month, which is represented by the coefficient 2 in front of the variable (n - 1).
So, the height of the tree during the nth month is given by the equation an = 86 + 2(n – 1), where n represents the number of months since the start of the study. By substituting n = 7 for the seventh month, we can verify that the equation accurately predicts the height of the tree at 92 inches.