Question

The results of an analysis, on the makeup of garbage, done by the Environmental Protection Agency was published in

1990. Some of the results are given in the following table, which for various years gives the number of pounds per
person per day of various types of waste materials.
Waste Materials
Glass
Plastics
Metals
Paper
1960
0.20
0.01
0.32
0.91
1970
0.34
0.08
0.38
1.19
1980
0.36
0.19
0.35
1.32
b. The rate of increase decreases from each
decade to the next.
1988
0.28
0.32
0.34
1.60
For plastics, calculate the average rates of change between consecutive data points in the table. Interpret the meaning
of your results.
a. The rate of increase increases from each
decade to the next.
c. The rate of increase increases during the
1970's, but then decreases during the
1980's.
d.
The rate of increase decreases during the
1970's, but then increases during the 1980's.

Answer 1

The average rate of change for plastic waste increased each decade from 1960 to 1988, indicating a growing trend in plastic waste per person per day. This contributes to challenges in waste management and environmental impact, as the increase in non-biodegradable waste adds to landfill capacities.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the average rate of change for plastics between consecutive data points, we take the change in the amount of plastics per person per day and divide it by the change in time (number of years between each data point).

• From 1960 to 1970: (0.08 - 0.01) lbs / (1970 - 1960) years = 0.07 lbs / 10 years = 0.007 lbs/year
• From 1970 to 1980: (0.19 - 0.08) lbs / (1980 - 1970) years = 0.11 lbs / 10 years = 0.011 lbs/year
• From 1980 to 1988: (0.32 - 0.19) lbs / (1988 - 1980) years = 0.13 lbs / 8 years = 0.01625 lbs/year

Interpreting these results, we see a trend that the average rate of change for plastic waste has increased each decade. From the 1960s to the 1970s, it increased slightly, but then more significantly from the 1970s to the 1980s.

Waste management and environmental impact are important considerations when analyzing such data. This increasing trend in plastic waste adds to the challenge of garbage disposal and recycling, as plastics are difficult to incinerate safely and can overwhelm landfill capacities due to their largely non-biodegradable nature.