document.write( "Question 1168887: You don't want to spend the winter shovelling snow so you decide to hire a local snow removal company. You know that most companies charge an initial fee and a fixed amount each time that they come to clear your driveway.
\n" ); document.write( "Olivia recommends that you use Company A. She doesn't remember the initial fee, but knows that it cost $20 Every time they came,she paid a total of $390 by the end of the winter and they came 17 times.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Kevin recommends that you use Company B. There was an initial fee of $125 but then it only cost $15 each time they came to clear the driveway.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "When will it cost the same amount to choose either company? Which company would you choose and Why? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #793565 by Theo(13342)\"\" \"About 
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she paid 20 dollars each time they came and they came 17 times.
\n" ); document.write( "the cost was 20 * 17 = 340.
\n" ); document.write( "she paid 390, so it looks like company A had an initial fee of 50 dollars and charged an additional 20 dollars for each visit.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "company B had an initial fee of 125 dollars and charged an additional 15 dollars for each visit.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "the cost will be the same when 50 + 20 * x = 125 + 15 * x
\n" ); document.write( "x represents the number of visits.
\n" ); document.write( "subtract 50 from both sides of the equation and subtract 15 * x from both sides of the equation to get:
\n" ); document.write( "20 * x - 15 * x = 125 - 50
\n" ); document.write( "simplify to get:
\n" ); document.write( "5 * x = 75
\n" ); document.write( "solve for x to get:
\n" ); document.write( "x = 15
\n" ); document.write( "the cost will be the same when 15 visits have been made.
\n" ); document.write( "company A will charge 125 + 15 * 15 = 350 dollars.
\n" ); document.write( "company B will charge 50 + 15 * 20 = 350 dollars.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "if she expects less than 15 visits, then she should go with company A.
\n" ); document.write( "if she expects more than 15 visits, then she should go with company B.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "for example:
\n" ); document.write( "at 10 visits:
\n" ); document.write( "company B would charge 125 + 10 * 15 = 275
\n" ); document.write( "company A would charge 50 + 10 * 20 = 250
\n" ); document.write( "company A would be cheaper.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "at 20 visits:
\n" ); document.write( "company B would charge 125 + 20 * 15 = 425
\n" ); document.write( "company A would charge 50 + 20 * 20 = 450
\n" ); document.write( "company B would be cheaper.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "they equations can be graphed.
\n" ); document.write( "in that way you can visualize where the break even point is and which company is better before the breaking point and which company is better after the breaking point.\r
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