Final answer:
The rate of change of the cost in dollars with respect to the number of miles for company A is 1.75 dollars per mile.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rate of change of the cost in dollars with respect to the number of miles for company A can be determined by finding the slope of the function y = 3.50 + 1.75(x - 1). The slope represents the change in cost for each additional mile traveled. The coefficient of x, which is 1.75, is the rate of change. So, the rate of change for company A is 1.75 dollars per mile.