Question

A video with information about preparing for the following school year was posted on a school’s Web site. The number of unique daily views,
, of the video
days after it was posted is shown in the table. Which of the following statements identifies the most appropriate type of function for modeling the data in the table and provides a reason to support its appropriateness?


A linear function is most appropriate because the change in the number of unique daily views between consecutive days is constant.

Option A,A linear function is most appropriate because the change in the number of unique daily views between consecutive days is constant.

a

A linear function is most appropriate because the change in the number of unique daily views between consecutive days is linear.

Option B,A linear function is most appropriate because the change in the number of unique daily views between consecutive days is linear.

b

A quadratic function is most appropriate because the change in the number of unique daily views between consecutive days is constant.

Option C,A quadratic function is most appropriate because the change in the number of unique daily views between consecutive days is constant.

c

A quadratic function is most appropriate because the change in the number of unique daily views between consecutive days is linear.

Option D,A quadratic function is most appropriate because the change in the number of unique daily views between consecutive days is linear.

d

Answer 1

Option D.

Reason: the changes in daily views between consecutive days form a linear pattern (the first differences themselves change by a constant amount), so the second differences are constant. That indicates a quadratic model is appropriate. (A and B are wrong because constant first differences would make a linear model appropriate; C is wrong because constant first differences do not imply a quadratic.)