Determine the initial value and the rate of change in the following description. Last year, Joshua’s tomato plant reached a maximum height of 2 feet. He is growing another tomato plant this year, and he is tracking its growth. The plant’s height today is 10 inches, and it grows 1.7 inches each day. (1 point) The initial value is b= , and the rate of change is m= .

1 answer

In this context, we can break down the information provided to determine the initial value and the rate of change for Joshua's new tomato plant.

  1. Initial Value (b): This is the height of the tomato plant at the start of the observation period (today). Since the plant's height today is 10 inches, the initial value is: \[ b = 10 \text{ inches} \]

  2. Rate of Change (m): This is the daily growth rate of the plant. The plant grows 1.7 inches each day, so the rate of change is: \[ m = 1.7 \text{ inches/day} \]

Thus, the initial value and the rate of change can be summarized as follows:

  • The initial value is \( b = 10 \) inches.
  • The rate of change is \( m = 1.7 \) inches/day.