128k views
4 votes
A state park charges an entrance fee based on the number of people in a vehicle. A car containing 2 people is charged $14, a car containing 4 people is charged $20, and a van containing 8 people is charged $32.What rule do you think the state park uses to decide the entrance fee for a vehicle?

1 Answer

3 votes

Answer:

I think they charge a flat rate of $8 for a vehicle and $3 per person on top of that.

Explanation:

There could be a multitude of rules, but let's try to find a simple one.

I would start by assuming that the park charges a fee for a vehicle and then for each person. Let's name those:

a - flat fee for a vehicle

b - fee per person

then a car with x people in it would be charged

a + bx

Let's see if the fees fit this assumption:

for x = 2

a + b*2 = $14

for x = 4

a + b*4 = $20

for x = 8

a + b*8 = $32

If so, we can subtract the second equation from the first and get

a + b*4 - a - b*2 = $20 - $14

b*2 = $6

b = 3$

a + b*2 = $14

a + $3*2 = a + $6 = $14

a = $8

so the first 2 equations gave us a = $8 and b = $3.

Let's see if these values fit the 3rd equation

a + b*8 = $32

$8 + $3*8 = $32

$8 + $24 = $32

$32 = $32

It fits!

That tells us that the rule is indeed very likely.

User Future King
by
7.7k points

No related questions found

Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.

9.4m questions

12.2m answers

Categories