document.write( "Question 476446: School Lunch Program: In 1970, 22.4 million students participated in the national school lunch program. By 2000, this number increased to 27.2 million students. (a) Find the slope of the line passing through the points (1970, 22.4) and (2000, 27.2). (b) Interpret the slope as a rate of change. (c) If this tend continues, estimate the number of participants in 2005. \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #326661 by josmiceli(19441) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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Let $\"+p%28t%29+\"$ = The number of participants, $\"p\"$ , during year $\"t\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Let $\"+t+=+0+\"$ for the year 1970
\n" ); document.write( "then $\"+t+=+30+\"$ for the year 2000
\n" ); document.write( "-------------------
\n" ); document.write( "The equation is
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+p+=+m%2At+%2B+p%280%29+\"$ ( p is in millions)
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+p%280%29+\"$ is the count of participants for 1970
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+p%280%29+=+22.4+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "The slope,m, is (change in p) / (change in t)
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+m+=+%28+27.2+-22.4+%29+%2F+%28+30+-+0+%29+\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+m+=+4.8+%2F+30+\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+m+=+.16+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "The equation is:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+p+=+.16t+%2B+22.4+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "-----------------
\n" ); document.write( "In 2005:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+p+=+.16%2A35+%2B+22.4+\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+p+=+5.6+%2B+22.4+\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+p+=+28+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "The estimate for 2005 is 28 million students \r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "

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