Question

A quality control technician at a candle factory tested the eight 16-ounce candles, each 3 inches in diameter. These candles came from the same production run. The table shows the decrease in weight of each candle after burning for 3 hours. Candle makers believe that the rate at which the candles burn is constant.

Write an equation that can be used to model the weight,
of such a candle as a function of
, the number of hours burning. Then, explain how the equation can be used to predict the weight of a candle that has burned for 5 hours.

Enter your equation and your explanation in the box provided.

Answer 1

According to the model. the weight of the candle after S hours of burning would be about 15.05 ounces

Explanation:

If the burn rate is believed to be constant, determine the average burn rate for the eight candles as the ratio of weight loss per hour.

ounces lost over three hours

0.5+0.6+0.5÷0.7÷0.7÷0.5÷0.5÷0.6

8

* 0.575

0.575

ounces lost per hour on average

= 0.19

For 0 hours, the weight of each candle is 16 ounces. Therefore, w 16 - 0.19h.

This model can be used to predict the weight of the candle when h, the number of hours of burning, is 5.

W * 16 - 0.19(5)

W = 16 - 0.95

W = 15.05

According to the model. the weight of the candle after S hours of burning would be about 15.05 ounces.