document.write( "Question 159298: A candle is 8 inches tall after burning for 1 hour. After 3 hours it is 5.5 inches tall.\r
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Algebra.Com's Answer #117441 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let x=time elapsed (in hours) and y=height of candle (in inches)\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Since the \"candle is 8 inches tall after burning for 1 hour\", this means that we have the values x=1 and y=8 which is the point (1,8)\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Also, the statement \"After 3 hours it is 5.5 inches tall\" tells us that x=3 and y=5.5 which forms the point (3,5.5)\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now let's find the equation of the line through the points (1,8) and (3,5)\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "First let's find the slope of the line through the points and \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"m=%28y%5B2%5D-y%5B1%5D%29%2F%28x%5B2%5D-x%5B1%5D%29\" Start with the slope formula.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"m=%285.5-8%29%2F%283-1%29\" Plug in \"y%5B2%5D=5.5\", \"y%5B1%5D=8\", \"x%5B2%5D=3\", and \"x%5B1%5D=1\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"m=%28-2.5%29%2F%283-1%29\" Subtract \"8\" from \"5.5\" to get \"-2.5\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"m=%28-2.5%29%2F%282%29\" Subtract \"1\" from \"3\" to get \"2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"m=-1.25\" Divide\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the slope of the line that goes through the points and is \"m=-1.25\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now let's use the point slope formula:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-y%5B1%5D=m%28x-x%5B1%5D%29\" Start with the point slope formula\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-8=-1.25%28x-1%29\" Plug in \"m=-1.25\", \"x%5B1%5D=1\", and \"y%5B1%5D=8\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-8=-1.25x%2B%28-1.25%29%28-1%29\" Distribute\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-8=-1.25x%2B1.25\" Multiply\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=-1.25x%2B1.25%2B8\" Add 8 to both sides. \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=-1.25x%2B9.25\" Combine like terms. \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the equation that goes through the points and is \"y=-1.25x%2B9.25\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " Notice how the graph of \"y=-1.25x%2B9.25\" goes through the points and . So this visually verifies our answer.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " Graph of \"y=-1.25x%2B9.25\" through the points and \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the equation that models the height \"y\" at time \"x\" is \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=-1.25x%2B9.25\"
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