Final answer:
To find the total amount of snow after a certain number of hours, we create a linear equation where the initial snow depth of 2 inches is the y-intercept and the snowfall rate of 0.25 inches per hour is the slope. The equation is y = 0.25x + 2.
Step-by-step explanation:
Griffin wants to calculate the total amount of snow, y, that will be on the ground after x number of hours, given that it is currently snowing at a rate of 0.25 inches per hour and there are already 2 inches of snow on the ground. To represent this situation with a linear equation, we need to identify the initial amount of snow and the rate of snowfall.
The initial amount of snow is the y-intercept, which is the starting point before any additional time passes. Since there are 2 inches of snow on the ground, the y-intercept is 2. The rate of snowfall is the slope of the linear equation, which in this case is 0.25 inches per hour.
Therefore, the linear equation that represents the total amount of snow, y, after x number of hours is:
y = 0.25x + 2