a baby elephant can weigh between 200-300 pounds at birth, making them the largest baby animals on land. The weight the baby gains daily over the first 6 months of its life can be modeled by a linear relationship. The equation y= 239+ 2x models the weight in pounds,y, of a baby elephant x days after it was born.
The equation y = 239 + 2x models the weight in pounds, y, of a baby elephant x days after it was born.
The given equation is y = 239 + 2x, where y represents the weight in pounds of a baby elephant x days after it was born. Let's break down the equation to understand its meaning and how it models the weight gain of the elephant.
The constant term, 239, represents the initial weight of the baby elephant at birth. This value is the y-intercept of the equation, indicating that the baby elephant starts with a weight of 239 pounds.
The coefficient of x, 2, represents the rate at which the baby elephant gains weight each day. This value indicates that for every day that passes, the baby elephant gains an additional 2 pounds.
By substituting different values for x, we can find the weight of the baby elephant at different stages of its first 6 months of life. For example, if we substitute x = 0, we find the initial weight of the baby elephant:
y = 239 + 2(0)
y = 239 + 0
y = 239
Therefore, the baby elephant weighs 239 pounds at birth.
Let's consider another example. If we substitute x = 30 (30 days after birth), we can find the weight of the baby elephant at that stage:
y = 239 + 2(30)
y = 239 + 60
y = 299
Therefore, 30 days after birth, the baby elephant weighs 299 pounds.
Similarly, for any given value of x between 0 and 180 (as it represents the first 6 months, where there are approximately 30 days in a month), this equation can be used to calculate the weight of the baby elephant at that particular stage.
To find the weight of a baby elephant x days after it was born using the given equation y = 239 + 2x, simply substitute the value of x into the equation and solve for y.
For example, let's say we want to find the weight of a baby elephant 10 days after it was born. We can plug in x = 10 into the equation:
y = 239 + 2(10)
y = 239 + 20
y = 259
Thus, the weight of the baby elephant would be 259 pounds after 10 days since its birth.
To find the weight at any other time, you can follow the same steps. Plug in the number of days since birth (x value) into the equation and solve for y.
It's important to note that the equation assumes a constant daily weight gain of 2 pounds. The initial weight of 239 pounds represents the weight of the baby elephant at birth.
By understanding the equation and how it is derived, you can easily calculate the weight of the baby elephant at any given point in time during the first 6 months of its life.