Ben wants to buy a new car, and she has narrowed her choices to two models.

Question

Model A sells for $12,500, gets 25mi/gal, and costs $300 a year for insurance
Model B sells for $16,100, gets 36 mi/gal, and costs $400 a year for insurance.
Jenny drives about 36,000 miles a year, and gas costs about $3 a gallon.
a. Find a formula for the total cost of owing Model A for any number of years.
b. Find a formula for the total cost of owing Model B for any number of years.
c. Make a table of the total cost of owning each model from 1 year to 6 years, in 1 year increments.
d. If Ben expects to keep the car for 2 years, which model is more economical?
e. What do you suppose is causing this trend?
Please help!!!!

Answer 1

I'll get you started with A. Its cost for n years is

A(n) = 12500 + 300n + 3(36000/25)n

do the same with B, changing the numbers as needed.

Then you can make the table and compare costs for 2 years.

Answer 2

So for part B would it be:
A(n)=16100+400n+3(36000/36)n

For part D do we substitute the 2 in with "n"?

Can you help me with part e please?