the number of gallons in a fifty gallon fish tank after t number of minutes has passed.

Question

y = -1.5 t + 48

1) Is the tank empty when the time is zero? If not, how many gallons are in the tank?

2) What does the number -1.5 mean in the context of the problem (what is it describing)?

3) After how many minutes would the tank be empty?

Answer 1

I would like for someone to please explain the formula that I would use to figure out this problem and others like it. like really explained please.

Answer 2

1. when t = 0 there are 48 gallons in the tank :)
2, it loses 1.5 gallons per minute
3. 0 = -1.5 t + 48 so t = 48/1.5 when y = 0, a little over half an hour

Answer 3

you have the formula
y= number of gallons = 48 to start - 1.5 * minutes leaking