Final answer:
The total cost, y, of buying x shorts from the online company is represented by the equation y = 12x + 9, which accounts for both the cost of the shorts and the fixed shipping fee.
Step-by-step explanation:
The equation that represents the total cost, y, of buying x shorts from the online company is y = 12x + 9.
The cost of each tennis short is $12, so the product of the number of shorts (x) and the cost of each short ($12) gives us the total cost of the shorts. In addition to that, the company charges a flat shipping and handling fee of $9 for any number of shorts.
For example, if a customer buys 3 shorts, the equation becomes y = 12(3) + 9, which simplifies to y = 36 + 9, and the total cost is $45.
The equation that best represents y, the total cost in dollars, of buying x shorts from this online company is y = 12x + 9. This equation is derived from the fact that each pair of shorts costs $12, and there is a fixed shipping and handling fee of $9 regardless of the quantity ordered. Therefore, if a customer buys x shorts, the total cost of the shorts will be 12x (since there are x shorts at $12 each), and the shipping remains constant at $9. So, the total cost is the sum of the cost of the shorts plus the shipping fee.