Final answer:
The equation that describes the total cost y as a function of the number of hours X is y = 2X, for X ≤ 4 and y = 2(4) + 3(X - 4), for X > 4.
Step-by-step explanation:
The equation that describes the total cost y as a function of the number of hours X is:
y = 2X, for X ≤ 4
y = 2(4) + 3(X - 4), for X > 4
Let's break it down:
If the number of hours X is less than or equal to 4, the cost is simply 2X.
For example, if X = 2, then y = 2(2) = 4.
If the number of hours X is greater than 4, the cost is 2(4) + 3(X - 4).
This is because for the first 4 hours, the cost is 2 per hour, and for the remaining hours, the cost is 3 per hour.
For example, if X = 6, then y = 2(4) + 3(6 - 4) = 10.