Which cannot be represented by a linear function?
The cost of a buffet is $7.25 per person.
The population has an annual growth rate of 1.8%.
The height of a plant grows a quarter-inch per week.
A seahorse travels a distance of one foot per minute.
(2), I think.
#2 is my answer.
To determine which of the given statements cannot be represented by a linear function, we need to understand what a linear function is.
A linear function is a mathematical function that can be represented by a straight line on a graph. It follows the form y = mx + b, where m represents the slope (rate of change) of the line, and b represents the y-intercept (the point where the line crosses the y-axis).
Let's analyze each statement to determine if it can be represented by a linear function:
1. The cost of a buffet is $7.25 per person.
To represent the cost of a buffet, we could use a linear function. Let's say x represents the number of people attending the buffet, and y represents the cost. In this case, the function would be y = 7.25x. The cost increases linearly with the number of people.
2. The population has an annual growth rate of 1.8%.
The population growth rate represents a compound growth model rather than a linear function. In this case, the population increases exponentially over time, not linearly.
3. The height of a plant grows a quarter-inch per week.
The growth of a plant can be represented by a linear function. We can use x to represent the number of weeks and y to represent the height. The function would be y = 0.25x. The height increases linearly with the number of weeks.
4. A seahorse travels a distance of one foot per minute.
The distance traveled by a seahorse can be represented by a linear function. We can use x to represent the number of minutes and y to represent the distance. The function would be y = x. The distance increases linearly with time.
So, after analyzing each statement, we find that the population growth rate cannot be represented by a linear function.