I am stuck on what kind of answer to give.

Question

I am not sure what kind of answer I should give. I am guessing a variable type answer. I’m just not sure.

if the variable type answer is right this what I got: 13.5n (n=Number of sightings in 20 years)

 

here is the question:

Since 1975, hundreds of witnesses claim to have seen the Jersey Devil, a strange dog-like beast rumored to roam New Jersey pine forests. The same number claims to have seen Bigfoot in the forests of the northern U.S. and Canada from 1975 to 2005. If the jersey devil had been seen at the same rate as Bigfoot, how many devils would have been spotted from 1735-2005?

Answer 1

You are on the right track...

Let N be the # of sightings between 1975 - 2005, which is a span of 30 years.

ASSUMING the sightings continue at the same rate, then 1735-2005 = 270 years,

and 270/30 = 9.

So then there shall be 9 times as many sightings or 9N.