To analyze Sarah's savings situation, we can look at the information provided:
- Cost of the Car: $4500
- Weekly Savings: $300
- Function for Savings: \( m(w) = 300w \) where \( w \) is the number of weeks.
Key Points
- Initial Savings: At \( w = 0 \) (when she just starts saving), \( m(0) = 300 \times 0 = 0 \).
- Weekly Savings: For every week that Sarah saves, she increases her savings by $300.
- For example:
- After 1 week: \( m(1) = 300 \times 1 = 300 \)
- After 2 weeks: \( m(2) = 300 \times 2 = 600 \)
- After 3 weeks: \( m(3) = 300 \times 3 = 900 \)
- For example:
- Finding the Number of Weeks to Reach $4500: To find out how many weeks it will take to save $4500, we set the savings function equal to the cost of the car: \[ 300w = 4500 \] Dividing both sides by 300: \[ w = \frac{4500}{300} = 15 \] So, it will take Sarah 15 weeks to save enough money for the car.
Graph Representation
On a graph where the x-axis represents time in weeks (\( w \)) and the y-axis represents money saved (\( m(w) \)):
- The line representing the function \( m(w) = 300w \) will have:
- A y-intercept at (0, 0)
- A slope of 300, meaning for every 1 week, the amount saved increases by $300.
- The point where the line intersects the line representing $4500 will be at \( (15, 4500) \).
Conclusion
Sarah will have saved enough money to buy her used car after 15 weeks. If you have further questions or need assistance with specific calculations or graphing, feel free to ask!