Question

1. When you go to a party or other gathering you shake hands with many people. The following is a formula that will predict how many hand shakes take place if every person shakes hands with every other person only once.

s = n(n - 1)/ 2
where S is the total number of hand shakes and n is the total number of people at the party.
(a) Express this formula in words.
(b) How many hand shakes will occur if there are 12 people present?​

Answer 1

This is called an exponential function, values are inserted to variables where applicable, aka, n = total number of people at the party, if there are only 12 people, (b:) insert into function where 'n' appears: (12(12-1)/2 = 66. This means 66 handshakes will occur if there are 12 people present.

Answer 2

s = 66

Explanation:

S = number of shakes

N = number of people

(N-1) = takes yourself out of the equation

÷ 2 = shaking hands with everyother person

so when 12 people present:

s = 12(12-1) /2

s = 12(11) /2

s = 132 /2

s = 66