Question

In February, John had $1,000 in his account. In May, he had $2,600. What is the rate of change? This would include the months of February, March, April, and May.

Options:
A. $400 per month
B. $200 per month
C. $800 per month
D. $600 per month

Answer 1

The rate of change in John's account balance from February to May is calculated by dividing the total increase ($1,600) by the number of months. The monthly rate of change is $400 per month.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the rate of change in John's account balance from February to May, we will calculate the total change in balance and then find the average monthly change. The starting balance in February was $1,000, and in May it was $2,600. The total change in balance is therefore $2,600 - $1,000 = $1,600. Since the change includes the months of February, March, April, and May, we count the number of full months between February and May, which is three months (excluding February itself). To find the monthly rate of change, we divide the total change by the number of months:

Rate of change = Total change / Number of months

Rate of change = $1,600 / 3 months = $533.33 per month

However, since $533.33 is not an option provided, we should consider that the problem may be counting February as a full month. If so, we should divide the total change by four months:

Rate of change = $1,600 / 4 months = $400 per month

Therefore, the correct answer is A. $400 per month.