Final answer:
Using a linear equation based on the given data points, it is projected that it will take about 10.13 months from the start of school for the voicemail percentage to reach 0%.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves finding out when the percentage of people leaving voicemails at Deerfield will reach 0%. We are given two data points: after 2 months from the start of school, the percentage was 65%, and after 7 months, it was 25%. To find the answer, we can consider these points as part of a linear trend and use them to form a linear equation.
First, we find the rate of change per month. From month 2 to month 7 (a span of 5 months), the percentage dropped from 65% to 25%. This is a change of 65% - 25% = 40%. Dividing this change by the number of months gives us a rate of change of 40%/5 months = 8% per month. Now we can use this rate to project when the percentage will reach 0%. If it starts at 65% and we subtract 8% for each month, we want to solve for the number of months m where 65% - 8%m = 0%. This gives us:
- 65% - 8%m = 0%
- 8%m = 65%
- m = 65% / 8%
- m = 8.125 months
Since we start counting from the end of the second month, we add this number to 2 and get that it will take approximately 10.13 months from the start of school for the voicemail usage to drop to 0%. However, it is important to note that real-world trends rarely follow a perfectly linear pattern indefinitely, but for the purpose of this question, we are assuming they do.