Final answer:
The y-intercept represents the amount of money in dollars when the number of years of experience is zero.
Step-by-step explanation:
The y-intercept in the equation y = 50x + 272 represents the amount of money in dollars when the number of years of experience is zero. This means that when a professional athlete has no years of experience, they will still earn a base salary of $272. The y-intercept is found by setting x = 0 in the equation, which gives y = 50(0) + 272 = 272.
To find the minimum salary for an athlete with 5 years of experience (x = 5), we substitute x = 5 into the equation: y = 50(5) + 272 = 250 + 272 = 522 dollars.
Similarly, for 10 years of experience (x = 10), the minimum salary would be y = 50(10) + 272 = 500 + 272 = 772 dollars.
Lastly, for 20 years of experience (x = 20), the minimum salary would be y = 50(20) + 272 = 1000 + 272 = 1272 dollars.
Learn more about y-intercept in a linear equation