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Quick Computing Company produces calculators. They have found that the cost, c(x), of making x calculators is a quadratic function in terms of x. Complete the function that represents the cost, c(x), to produce x calculators. The company also discovered that it costs $25 to produce 2 calculators, $59 to produce 4 calculators, and $305 to produce 10 calculators. c(x) =

1 Answer

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c(x) = 3x² - x + 15

a = 3, b= -1, c = 15

Step-by-step explanation:

Quadratic equation is in the form:

ax²+ bx + c = 0

a, b, c are unknown that needs to be found

c(x) = ax²+ bx + c

c(x) = cost of making x calculators

x = number of calculators

when cost is $25, it produced 2 calculators: c(x) = 25, x = 2

Inserting into the equation:

25 = a(2)²+ b(2) + c

25 = 4a + 2b + c ...equation (1)

when cost is $59, it produced 4 calculators: c(x) = 59, x = 4

Inserting into the equation:

59 = a(4)²+ b(4) + c

59 = 16a + 4b + c ...equation (2)

when cost is $305, it produced 10 calculators: c(x) = 305, x = 10

Inserting into the equation:

305 = a(10)²+ b(10) + c

305 = 100a + 10b + c ...equation (3)

solving the equations simultaneously:

25 = 4a + 2b + c ...equation (1)

59 = 16a + 4b + c ...equation (2)

305 = 100a + 10b + c ...equation (3)

subtract equation 1 from 2:

59 - 25 = 16a - 4a + 4b - 2b + c+ c

34 = 12a + 2b ...equation (4)

subtract equation 2 from 3:

305 - 59 = 100a - 16a + 10b - 4b + c - c

246 = 84a + 6b ...equation (5)

34 = 12a + 2b ...equation (4)

246 = 84a + 6b ...equation (5)

multiply equation 4 by 3:

102 = 36a + 6b ...equation (4)

246 = 84a + 6b ...equation (5)

subtract equation 4 from 5:

246 - 102 = 84a - 36a + 6b - 6b

144 = 48a + 0

144 = 48a

144/48 = 48a/48

a = 3

substitute for a in equation 5:

246 = 84(3) + 6b

246 = 252 + 6b

246 - 252 = 6b

-6 = 6b

-6/6 = 6b/6

b = -1

Substitute for a and b in any of the equation in 1 or 2:

using equation 1: 25 = 4a + 2b + c

25 = 4(3) + 2(-1) + c

25 = 12 - 2 + c

25 = 10 + c

25 - 10 = c

c = 15

The function becomes:

c(x) = 3x²+ (-1)x + 15

c(x) = 3x² - x + 15

User MARIO MORENO
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