Final answer:
A linear demand equation representing the price-to-quantity relationship for houses in the given development is p = -3,000q + 780,000.
Step-by-step explanation:
To derive the linear demand equation, we have two points that define the demand relationship: (60, 600,000) and (100, 480,000), where the first number in each pair is the quantity (q) and the second is the price (p). Using the slope formula, Δp/Δq = (p2 - p1) / (q2 - q1), we get the slope (m) as:
m = (480,000 - 600,000) / (100 - 60) = -120,000 / 40 = -3,000.
Now, we can write the equation in the point-slope form: p - p1 = m(q - q1), using one of the points for p1 and q1:
p - 600,000 = -3,000(q - 60).
p = -3,000q + 780,000.
This equation represents the relationship between the price of houses and the quantity available in this housing development scenario, reflecting a typical downward-sloping demand curve. It implies that for every additional house built, the price decreases by $3,000, starting from a maximum price of $780,000 when no houses are built.