The temperature is 17 degrees Fahrenheit at 8:00 p.m. It is expected to drop 2.5 degrees as each hour passes. Write the linear equation that represents this scenario and explain what the y-intercept represents

1 answer

The linear equation that represents this scenario is:

y = -2.5x + 17

Where:
y = temperature in degrees Fahrenheit
x = number of hours after 8:00 p.m.

In this equation, the y-intercept is 17. This means that at 0 hours after 8:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m. itself), the temperature is 17 degrees Fahrenheit. So, the y-intercept represents the initial temperature at 8:00 p.m. before it starts to drop 2.5 degrees per hour.