Final answer:
The equation for the cost of a pizza with 5 toppings is y = 0.5x + 12, where y represents the total cost and x represents the number of toppings.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cost of a pizza with 5 toppings is $14.50, and the cost per topping is $0.50. To write an equation for this situation, we can use the formula for a linear equation, which is y = mx + b, where y represents the total cost, m represents the cost per topping, x represents the number of toppings, and b represents the fixed cost. Substituting the given values into the equation, we have:
y = 0.5x + b
To find the value of b, we can substitute the values of x and y from the given situation. Plugging in x = 5 and y = 14.50:
14.50 = 0.5(5) + b
Simplifying the equation, we have:
14.50 = 2.50 + b
Subtracting 2.50 from both sides, we get:
b = 12
Therefore, the equation for the cost of a pizza with 5 toppings is y = 0.5x + 12.