Determine the initial value and the rate of change in the following description.

Question

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=
𝑏
=
, and the rate of change is m=
𝑚
=
.

Answer 1

In the context provided, the initial value and the rate of change relate to the growth of the new tomato plant.

1. Initial Value (b): This is the height of the plant at the start of the tracking period. Today, the height of the plant is 10 inches, so we can consider this as the initial value of the height when tracking begins.

   Therefore, the initial value \( b = 10 \) inches.

2. Rate of Change (m): This is the amount by which the height of the plant increases per unit of time (in this case, daily). The plant grows at a rate of 1.7 inches each day, which represents the rate of change.

   Therefore, the rate of change \( m = 1.7 \) inches per day.

In summary:

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