230k views
3 votes
Patty buys a new car and gets it appraised every few years. After owning the car for 3 years, its value is $15,000. After owning the car for 5 years, its value is $9,000. What is the constant of proportionality in this inverse variation?

1 Answer

5 votes

Answer: 45000

Explanation:

From the question, we are informed that Patty buys a new car and gets it appraised every few years and that after owning the car for 3 years, its value is $15,000 and further told that after owning the car for 5 years, its value is $9,000.

Let the number of years be x

Let the value of the car be y.

From the first part of the question, we are told that after owning the car for 3 years, its value is $15,000.

Since an inverse variation will be:

x = k/y

3 = k/15000

k = 15000 × 3

k = 45000

Let's confirm the value of k for the second part of the question. After owning the car for 5 years, its value is $9,000. Here, x=5 and y = 9000

x = k/y

x = 45000/9000

x = 5

It's correct.

Therefore, the constant of proportionality is 45000

User Alupotha
by
8.4k points
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