Question

Determine the initial value and the rate of change in the following.
Last year Joshua’s tomato plant reached a maximum height of 2 feet. He is growing another tomato plant this year and he is tracking its growth. The plants height today is 10 inches and it grows 1.7 inches each day.

Answer 1

To determine the initial value and the rate of change for Joshua's new tomato plant, we can analyze the information given:

1. **Initial Value**: This represents the height of the tomato plant at the starting point of the observation. Since the height of the plant today is given as 10 inches, the initial value is:

\[
\text{Initial Value} = 10 \text{ inches}
\]

2. **Rate of Change**: This refers to how much the height of the plant increases over time. The plant grows at a rate of 1.7 inches each day, so the rate of change is:

\[
\text{Rate of Change} = 1.7 \text{ inches/day}
\]

In summary, for Joshua's new tomato plant, the initial value is **10 inches**, and the rate of change is **1.7 inches/day**.