document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1108179>Question 1108179</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> algebraic function : A vending machine has three buttons, labeled A, B, and C. The cost is the same for all three buttons. If you press A, you get a pound of fertilizer. If you press B, you get a pet rat. If you press C, you randomly get either fertilizer or a pet rat. Given a situation where a person wants both fertilizer and a rat, but only has money for one or the other, which button do you think will be used the most, and why? Which one would get pushed least? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #723164 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><B>Theo(13342)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><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/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=Theo><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=723164\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> if he wants fertilizer and a rat, then he has to push buttons more than once.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "to minimize the number of times he has to push the button, he would push the fertilizer button one time and the rat button one time.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "that's 2 pushes of a button and he gets what he want.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "if he pushed the button that gives him a fertilizer or a rat, then he might have to push the button more than 2 times to get what he wants.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "it is possible that the first time he pushes the button that gives him fertilizer or a rat, that he gets fertilizer, and the next time he pushes the same button, he gets fertilizer again.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "in fact, he may have to push that button several times before he gets a rat.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "so, to minimize the number of times he has to push a button, he should choose the fertilizer button the first time and the rat button the second time, or vice versa.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "ie he only has money to push a button one time, then he's not going to get what he wants, because one button gets fertilizer or a rat, but not both.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "the domain of the function is a,b,c.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "the range of the function is fertilizer,rat.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "a,b,c are your possible inputs that yield an output.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "fertilizer, rat are your possible outputs from the set of possible inputs.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );