Question

Steve Ballmer, the current CEO of Microsoft, used to be the manager of his college football team. Among his duties, he had to be sure the players were hydrated. When nearby construction forced a water shut off, Steve went to the Star Market to purchase bottles of water. He needed a total of 80 liters of water. Star Market sold water in two liter bottles and in half liter bottles. What possible combinations of the small and large bottles might he purchase in order to bring 80 liters to the football team?

a. Write an equation that models the possible combinations of half liter bottles and two liter bottles that would total 80 liters. (Be sure to define the variables.)
b. What is the x-intercept and what does it represent?
c. What is the y-intercept and what does it represent?

Answer 1

9514 1404 393

Answer:

a. x + 4y = 160

b. 160

c. 40

Explanation:

a. We can define the variables as ...

x = number of 1/2-liter bottles

y = number of 2-liter bottles

For the total number of liters to be 80, we require

1/2x + 2y = 80

We can multiply this by 2 to eliminate the fraction.

x + 4y = 160

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b. The x-intercept is 160. It is the number of 1/2-liter bottles required when no 2-liter bottles are used.

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c. The y-intercept is 40. It is the number of 2-liter bottles required when no 1/2-liter bottles are used.