A biologist studied the populations of white-sided jackrabbits and black-tailed jackrabbits over a 5-year period. He modeled the populations, in thousands, with the following polynomials where x is time, in years.
White-sided jackrabbits: 6.5x^2- 8.7x + 5.9
Black-sided iackrabbits: 6.5^2 + 9.2x + 1. 2
What polynomial models the total number of white-sided and black-sided jackrabbits?
To find the total number of white-sided and black-sided jackrabbits, we need to add the two polynomials together:
Total number of jackrabbits = (6.5x^2 - 8.7x + 5.9) + (6.5x^2 + 9.2x + 1.2)
Total number of jackrabbits = 6.5x^2 - 8.7x + 5.9 + 6.5x^2 + 9.2x + 1.2
Total number of jackrabbits = 13x^2 + 0.5x + 7.1
Therefore, the polynomial that models the total number of white-sided and black-sided jackrabbits is 13x^2 + 0.5x + 7.1.