document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=50139>Question 50139</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Sales of a software company increased linearly from $120,000 in 1996 to $180,000 in 1999\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "A) find an equation that expresses the sales (y) in year (x) (where (x)= 0 corresponds to 1996)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "and\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "B) estimate the sales in 2001 </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #33323 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=lkwtcnj><B>lkwtcnj(8)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-05.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=lkwtcnj><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=33323\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Since x is the year and y is sales, then the slope of the equation is the change in sales over the change in years:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "m = (180,000 - 120,000) / (3 - 0)   (since 1996 is 0, 1999 would be 3)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "m = 60,000 / 3 = 20,000<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The y-intercept is found by plugging in one of the known points:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "120,000 = (0 * 20,000) + b<BR>\n" );
document.write( "b = 120,000<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Then the equation would be y = 20,000x + 120,000<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Since 2001 would correspond to x = 5, the sales y is:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y = (20,000 * 5) + 120,000 = 220,000 </SPAN>\n" );
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