Question

The mean number of students per classroom at Central High School can be estimated using the equation y = 0.8636x + 27.227 , where x represents the number of years since 2004 and x<=10. Which of the following statements is the best interpretation of the number 0.8636 in the context of this problem?

A. The estimated mean number of students per classroom in 2004.
B. The estimated mean number of students per classroom in 2014.
C. The estimated yearly decrease in the mean number of students per classroom.
D. The estimated yearly increase in the mean number of students per classroom.

Answer 1

The figure 0.8636 represents the estimated yearly increase in the mean number of students per classroom at Central High School for each year since 2004.

Step-by-step explanation:

The number 0.8636 in the equation y = 0.8636x + 27.227, where x represents the number of years since 2004 and x <=10, stands for the estimated yearly increase in the mean number of students per classroom. This is because the coefficient of x in a linear equation represents the slope, which indicates the change in the dependent variable (y, the mean number of students) for each unit increase in the independent variable (x, the years since 2004). In this context, since the coefficient is positive, it signifies that the mean number of students per classroom is estimated to increase by approximately 0.8636 students each year.