SOLUTION: DEVELOP AN ALGEBRAIC EQUATION WITH CLEARLY DEFINED VARIABLES TO REPRESENT THE COST OF EACH OPTION. A STUDENT IS PREPARING TO TAKE AN ETHICS COURSE AND TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER T

Algebra ->  Coordinate Systems and Linear Equations  -> Linear Equations and Systems Word Problems -> SOLUTION: DEVELOP AN ALGEBRAIC EQUATION WITH CLEARLY DEFINED VARIABLES TO REPRESENT THE COST OF EACH OPTION. A STUDENT IS PREPARING TO TAKE AN ETHICS COURSE AND TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER T      Log On


   

Question 753910: DEVELOP AN ALGEBRAIC EQUATION WITH CLEARLY DEFINED VARIABLES TO REPRESENT THE COST OF EACH OPTION.
A STUDENT IS PREPARING TO TAKE AN ETHICS COURSE AND TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER TO RENT OR BUY HIS TEXT BOOK. TO RENT THE TEXT BOOK IT WOULD COST 13.99 PER MONTH AND TO BUY THE TEXT BOOK IT WOULD COST 73.99. THE COURSE TAKES AN AVERAGE OF 6 WEEKS TO COMPLETE.
the definition is to create an algebraic equation, and I plugged those numbers in but I cant help but feel like im missing something because we want to solve for y and x is the number of weeks I think, so:
y=13.99x or y=73.99
and thats where im stuck.
Answer by fcabanski(1391) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The only "missing" part is determining which option is cheaper.


The average course length is 6 weeks. The number of months depends on what you use for weeks/month. Accountants use 4.33 (because 52/12=4.33). 6/4.33 = 1.39 months for an average length course.


Rental price = 13.99 * 1.39 = $19.44. The book costs $73.99. Would you rent or buy?


You can also determine how many months of rental would equal or exceed the purchase price.


13.99x >= 73.99


x >= 5.29


5.29 * 4.33 = 22.91. So when x >= 5.29 (22.91 weeks, about 4 times the average course length), rental price equals or exceeds the purchase price.

Hope the solution helped. Sometimes you need more than a solution. Contact fcabanski@hotmail.com for online, private tutoring, or personalized problem solving (quick for groups of problems.)