Final Answer:
The statement "f(2) = 6" best describes the meaning that the total cost of 2 candies is 6 dollars.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a cost function, the variable x represents the number of items being purchased, and the function value f(x) represents the total cost of those items. When we say "f(2) = 6", we are stating that when we buy 2 candies, the total cost is 6 dollars. This means that each candy costs a certain amount, and we are purchasing exactly 2 of them. Therefore, statement 1 is the best description of the meaning of "f(2) = 6".
Statements 2 and 3 are not accurate descriptions because they suggest that we are purchasing a different number of candies. In statement 2, we would be purchasing 6 candies for a total cost of 2 dollars, which does not make sense since it would be very cheap to buy that many candies.
In statement 3, we would be purchasing 2 candies for a total cost of 3 dollars, which also does not make sense since it would be more expensive to buy only 2 candies than to buy more.
Statement 4 is not an accurate description because it suggests that we are purchasing a different number of candies as well. In statement 4, we would be purchasing 3 candies for a total cost of 2 dollars, which does not make sense since it would be less expensive to buy more than 3 candies than to buy exactly 3.
Therefore, statement 1 is the most accurate description of the meaning of "f(2) = 6". It accurately reflects that when we buy exactly 2 candies, the total cost is 6 dollars.