Question

WHICH KIND OF FUNCTION BEST MODELS DATA IN THE TABLE
0 -1,1 -0.5, 2 0, 3 0.5,4 1
I'm thinking quadratic because they are constant

0 1.7,1 6.8,2,27.2,3 108.8, 4 435.2
total confused here the x = 1 but the y's have no real sequence
linear no quadratic no exponential don't think it fits either none of these?

Answer 1

The first model is <u>linear</u> because the changes are constant.

In fact, y = x/2 - 1

For the second, check the differences:

1st: 5.1, 20.4, 81.6, 326.4
2nd: 15.3, 61.2, 244.8
If t were quadratic, the 2nd differences would be constant. Since they are also growing rapidly, you should suspect an exponential growth model.

6.8/1.7 = 4
27.2/6.8 = 4
and so on. Since the ratio is constant, you have

y = 1.7 * 4^x