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On the Y axis, we have the profit from the trucking company and on the X axis, we have the miles the truck has traveled. The company decided that they needed to start paying for a driver at a price of 0.25 cents a mile. After this change what will happen to the x and y axis/slope?

A. Y intercept will be less and X will be less
B. Y intercept will be less and X intercept will be greater
C. Y intercept will be greater and X will be greater
D. Y intercept will be greater and X will be less

User Liyana
by
7.5k points

2 Answers

3 votes

Answer:

B.

Explanation:

the description is very confusing and lacks any hint about the behavior of the curve before the change.

but ok, let's assume that the curve (line ?) is in general going up. in other words, if the traveled miles go up, so does the profit.

I also don't know how they could drive the miles without paying the driver, but again, let's assume they did.

now they pay the driver. $0.25 per mile.

this has to come out of their profit.

so, the Y (profit) values all go down by 0.25.

therefore, the y-intercept is going down too.

that eliminates C. and D.

for this to be true they have to have some overhead costs that apply even if there are 0 miles traveled (which is the meaning of the y-intercept : the y-value when x = 0).

so, the line must be in a form

y = ax + b

with "b" <> 0.

and since we assumed the line to go up (positive slope), a "sinking" line means that the x-intercept (the break-even point, where the line goes from below the x-axis and therefore negative (y) profit up into positive profit) will move to the right (become greater).

because now that they have additional costs (paying the driver), it takes longer (more driven miles) to make a positive profit.

and that eliminates A, leaving B. as the right answer.

User Deckele
by
7.4k points
2 votes

Answer:

B.

Explanation:

User Dmytro Dadyka
by
7.8k points