Question

Derrick and Maria went to the drive-in theater.  They paid an entry fee for the car and individual entry fees for themselves.  Their total cost can be modeled by the expression `4.5x+15`.  Which of the following answer choices accurately interprets a part of the algebraic expression?
the entry fee for the car is $4.50
each individual fee was $15.00
Each individual fee was $4.50
the entry fee for the car is $19.50

Answer 1

The expression \( 4.5x + 15 \) can be interpreted as follows:

- \( 4.5x \) represents the total cost of individual entry fees, where \( x \) is the number of individuals and \( 4.5 \) is the cost per individual.
- \( 15 \) represents the entry fee for the car.

Now, let's evaluate each answer choice:

1. **the entry fee for the car is $4.50** - This is incorrect since the entry fee for the car is represented by the constant \( 15 \).

2. **each individual fee was $15.00** - This is incorrect since each individual fee is represented by \( 4.5 \), not \( 15 \).

3. **Each individual fee was $4.50** - This is correct; \( 4.5 \) represents the fee for each individual.

4. **the entry fee for the car is $19.50** - This is incorrect; the entry fee for the car is \( 15 \).

The correct interpretation from the choices provided is:

**Each individual fee was $4.50.**