Use the table to answer the question.

Determining the Rate of Change and Initial Value from x and y Values
x
y

2 22
8 25
Determine the rate of change and the initial value of the linear function given here as a table of values.

(1 point)
The rate of change is m=
, and the initial value is b=
.

1 answer

To determine the rate of change (slope) and the initial value (y-intercept) from the given x and y values, we can follow these steps:

  1. Calculate the Rate of Change (m): The rate of change (slope) \( m \) of a linear function can be calculated using the formula:

    \[ m = \frac{y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1} \]

    Using the points provided:

    • Point 1: \( (x_1, y_1) = (2, 22) \)
    • Point 2: \( (x_2, y_2) = (8, 25) \)

    Plugging in the values:

    \[ m = \frac{25 - 22}{8 - 2} = \frac{3}{6} = \frac{1}{2} \]

  2. Determine the Initial Value (b): The initial value (y-intercept) can be found using the linear equation \( y = mx + b \). We can rearrange this to solve for \( b \):

    \[ b = y - mx \]

    We can use either of the points. Let's use the first point \( (2, 22) \):

    \[ b = 22 - \left(\frac{1}{2} \cdot 2\right) = 22 - 1 = 21 \]

Now we have the values:

  • Rate of Change \( m = \frac{1}{2} \)
  • Initial Value \( b = 21 \)

Final Answer: The rate of change is \( m = \frac{1}{2} \), and the initial value is \( b = 21 \).