Question

The cost of a taxi ride is a linear function of the distance traveled. If a 5-mile ride costs $12 and a 9-mile ride costs $14, which equation can be used to find the cost, c, for any distance, m, traveled?
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Answer 1

Slope = (14 − 12)/(9 − 5) = 2/4 = 1/2.
So c = (1/2)m + b. Use (5,12): 12 = (1/2)(5) + b ⇒ b = 12 − 2.5 = 9.5.

Thus c = 0.5m + 9.5 (or c = (1/2)m + 19/2).