Final answer:
The rate of change of the resale value of a car based on the number of years since purchase is -3500, indicating a yearly decrease in value, and the initial value of the car at the time of purchase is 32000.
Step-by-step explanation:
The linear function that models the resale value of a car based on the number of years since purchase is given by y = 32000 - 3500x. In this equation, y represents the resale value of the car (in dollars), and x represents the number of years since the car was purchased. The rate of change here is represented by the coefficient of x, which is -3500. This indicates that each year, the value of the car decreases by $3,500. The initial value, when x is zero, is represented by the constant term, which is 32000. This suggests that the initial resale value of the car, at the time of purchase, is $32,000. Thus, the correct statement about the rate of change and the initial value is: The rate of change is -3500 and the initial value is 32000. 32000 represents the initial value of the car, and -3500 is the decrease in value of the car every year.