Final answer:
The cost equation for Elite Carpet Cleaners is given by y = 39 + 29x, where x is the number of rooms and y is the total cost.
Step-by-step explanation:
The equation that shows how the cost, y, depends on the number of rooms cleaned, x, for Elite Carpet Cleaners is y = 39 + 29x.
The independent variable in this equation is x, which represents the number of rooms cleaned. The dependent variable, y, is the total cost to the customer. The y-intercept is 39, which is the flat travel fee charged by the company irrespective of the number of rooms cleaned. The slope is 29, which represents the cost per room cleaned.