The cost of driving a car includes both fixed costs and mileage costs.

Question

Assume that it costs $171.90 per month for insurance and car payments and $0.27 per mile for gasoline, oil, and routine maintenance.

(a) Find values for m and b so that y=mx+b models the monthly cost of driving the car x miles.

(b) What does the value of b represent?

 

(a) m=? (Type an integer or a decimal.)

      b=? (Type an integer or a decimal.)

 

(b) Choose the correct answer below

(a) The cost of owning the car for one month.

(b) The rate of change in cost of the car with each mile.

(c) The fixed cost of owning the car for one month without driving it.

(d) The optimal cost of owning for one month.

 

Answer 1

m = 0.27 , b = 171.90
y = 0.27x + 171.90

(c) The fixed cost of owning the car for one month without driving it.