Explanation:
We are given two points on a line: (14, 21.2) and (32, 17.6). Let h be the height of the candle after t hours. We want to find h when t = 26.
Since the height is a linear function of time, we can write the equation of the line in point-slope form:
h - 21.2 = m(t - 14)
where m is the slope of the line. To find the slope, we use the two points:
m = (17.6 - 21.2)/(32 - 14) = -0.18
Substituting m = -0.18 and one of the points (14, 21.2) into the equation, we get:
h - 21.2 = -0.18(t - 14)
h - 21.2 = -0.18t + 2.52
h = -0.18t + 23.72
To find the height of the candle after 26 hours, we substitute t = 26:
h = -0.18(26) + 23.72
h = 19.48
Therefore, the height of the candle after 26 hours is 19.48 centimeters.