Question

Read the following scenario, which is represented by a polynomial expression. Then answer the questions to interpret the parts of the expression in terms of the given context.

The volunteers at a high school football team’s concession stand are trying to decide on the price of the hot dogs they are selling. When they charge $2 for a hot dog, they sell an average of 70 hot dogs per game. With every $1 increase in the price, the number of hot dogs sold per game decreases by 8.

The volunteers can calculate the revenue earned from selling the hot dogs at each game using the expression -8x2 + 54x + 140, where x is the number of $1 increases in price.

Part A
What is the constant term in the polynomial expression, and what does it represent?

Answer 1

x is the number of $1 increase in the price.

If there is no increase, then the total money earned is

2 × 70 = 140

If there is $1 increase, then the total money earned is

(2 + 1) × [70 - 8(1)]

If there is $2 increase, then the total money earned is

(2 + 2) × [70 - 8(2)]

If we continue the pattern, for x times $1 increase, total money earned is

(2 + x)(70 - 8x) = -8x^{2} +54x+140−8x2+54x+140

If we substitute x = 0 in the above equation, we will get

the total money earned = $140.

It means if there is no increase, then the total money earned = 140.

Hence, 140 is the constant term and it represents that there is no increase in price.