Final answer:
The equation G = 748U converts the number of gallons (G) of water used into units (U) for billing purposes. It reflects the large scale of water use in daily life and different products, important for managing resource availability and promoting conservation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The equation G = 748U, where G stands for gallons and U for units, converts water usage from gallons to units. This conversion is useful for billing purposes in the context of water usage by residential customers in a city. When considering water needs for various daily activities or products, it becomes clear that large quantities of water are necessary. Everything from growing a single tomato (3 gallons), to producing a pound of beef (1,600 gallons), up to manufacturing a ton of steel (63,000 gallons), requires significant amounts of water, highlighting the importance of these conversions for understanding and managing water usage.
Furthermore, the household water usage in the U.S. includes cooking, washing dishes and clothes, flushing the toilet, and bathing, which on average amounts to about 100 gallons per day. To get a grasp on the scale of water use, cities like the one mentioned that use this equation, can model costs and estimate resource availability. Residents can then be billed appropriately and encouraged to practice water conservation.