Question

Find the zero of the function d = 250 - 60t, and describe what this value means in this context.

A. Zero is at about 4.17 hours; it means the bus will arrive at the station in approximately 4.17 hours.

B. Zero is at about 3.5 hours; it means the bus will arrive at the station in approximately 3.5 hours.

C. Zero is at about 2.5 hours; it means the bus will arrive at the station in approximately 2.5 hours.

D. Zero is at about 5.12 hours; it means the bus will arrive at the station in approximately 5.12 hours.

You can choose the correct answer from these options.

Answer 1

The zero of the function d = 250 - 60t is at t ≈ 4.17 hours, which means the bus will arrive at the station approximately 4.17 hours after it starts its journey.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student is asked to find the zero of the function d = 250 - 60t, which represents the time at which the distance d is zero. To find this zero, we can set the equation equal to zero and solve for t:

0 = 250 - 60t

Adding 60t to both sides gives:

60t = 250

Dividing both sides by 60 gives:

t ≈ 4.17

This value means that, in the context of the question, which could be a bus traveling to a station, the bus will arrive at its destination approximately 4.17 hours after it starts. Since the context involves time and travel, negative time solutions are not meaningful, as they would denote a time before the travel or event began.