A trampoline park that you frequently go to is $9 per visit. You have the option to purchase a monthly membership for $30 and then pay $4 for each visit. Explain whether you will buy the membership, and why. Option A: y = $9x Option B: y = $30 + $4x Option A: Pay per visit. [ y = 9x ] Option B: Monthly membership. [ y = 30 + 4x ] Break-even point: [ 9x = 30 + 4x ] [ 5x = 30 ] [ x = 6 ] If you visit more than 6 times a month, the membership is cheaper.

Anya is traveling from out of town. This is the only time she will visit this trampoline park. Which option should she choose?
Jin plans on going to the trampoline park seven times this month. Which option should he choose? What does the point of intersection of the graphs represent?

1 answer

To evaluate whether to buy the membership or pay per visit, we have two options represented by the equations:

  • Option A: Pay per visit: \( y = 9x \)
  • Option B: Monthly membership: \( y = 30 + 4x \)

Break-even Point

We already found the break-even point by equating the two equations:

\[ 9x = 30 + 4x \] \[ 5x = 30 \] \[ x = 6 \]

This means that if you visit the trampoline park more than 6 times in a month, the membership ($30 + $4 per visit) becomes more economical than paying $9 for each visit.

Anya's Choice

Anya is traveling from out of town and will only visit the trampoline park once.

  • For one visit (x = 1): \[ \text{Option A: } y = 9(1) = 9 \] \[ \text{Option B: } y = 30 + 4(1) = 30 + 4 = 34 \]

Since Anya will only visit once, she should choose Option A (pay per visit) for $9, as it is much cheaper than the membership cost of $34.

Jin's Choice

Jin plans on going to the trampoline park seven times this month.

  • For seven visits (x = 7): \[ \text{Option A: } y = 9(7) = 63 \] \[ \text{Option B: } y = 30 + 4(7) = 30 + 28 = 58 \]

Here, Jin should choose Option B (monthly membership) since the total cost of $58 is cheaper than the $63 for paying per visit.

Point of Intersection Interpretation

The point of intersection of the two graphs represents the break-even point, which occurs at \( x = 6 \) visits. This point tells us that at 6 visits, both payment options cost the same amount of money ($54). It signifies the threshold where it becomes more economical to choose the membership instead of paying for each visit. For any number of visits above 6, the membership option is the more cost-effective choice.