Question

Jacob is a salesperson who earns p = 0.025x+95 representing his total pay when he sells & dollars worth of computers. What is the y-intercept of the equation, and what is its interpretation in the context of the problem?

A. y-intercept is 0.025; it represents Jacob's commission rate.
B. y-intercept is 95; it represents Jacob's base pay amount for a day regardless of sales.
C. y-intercept is 0; it represents Jacob's total pay when he doesn't make any sales.
D. y-intercept is undefined; it doesn't have a meaningful interpretation in this context.

Answer 1

The y-intercept of the equation p = 0.025x + 95 is 95, and it represents Jacob's base pay amount for a day, which he receives regardless of the amount in sales.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the context of the equation p = 0.025x + 95, which represents Jacob's total pay, the y-intercept is the value of p when x, the dollar amount of computers sold, is zero. The y-intercept in this equation is 95. This value represents Jacob's base pay that he earns regardless of sales, meaning before any commissions from sales are added. Consequently, the correct interpretation of the y-intercept in this context is that Jacob has a base pay of $95, which he receives even if he does not make any sales.