Question

The altitude of a car (y) as a driver descends a mountain is shown by the equation y=-250x+1500, where x is the time in hours of the descent. Interpret the x- and y- intercepts in terms of the problem.

Answer 1

STEP - BY - STEP EXPLANATION

What to do?

Interpret the x- and y- intercepts in terms of the problem.

Given:

The altitude of a car (y) as a driver descends a mountain is shown by the equation;

y=-250x+1500

Y- Intercept

The y-intercept can be obtain by putting x=0 into the equation.

So that we have;

`\begin{gathered} y=-250x+1500 \\ y=-250(0)+1500 \\ \\ y=1500 \end{gathered}`

This means that initially the driver was at 1500ft which is the highest point on the mountain that the driver has been before he began descending.

X- Intercept

The x- intercept can be obtain by substituting y=0 and into the equation and solving for x.

`\begin{gathered} 0=-250x+1500 \\ \\ 250x=1500 \\ \\ x=6 \end{gathered}`

This means to descend the whole mountain, the driver will take 6 hours.

ANSWER

The y-intercepts shows that the highest point the driver was at was 1500ft and the x-intercept shows that it took 6 hours to descend the whole mountain.