A small dairy farm writes a business plan. It includes a graph showing the estimated amount of feed used each
day in thousands of pounds, y, compared to the number of
years since the farm began operating, x.

answer: 88

step-by-step explanation:

, and

for

step-by-step explanation:

we can analyze the pattern at which the terms increase. let us denote , , , so that we can call

note the following:

the pattern: to get the next term value, we just add the next term number (e.g. 1st, 2nd, to the previous term value (term values are the given numbers in the question, 1, 3, 6, 10, 15,

from , to get to , we add

from , to get to , we add

etc.

we need to form a recursive formula, a formula that has the next term as a function of the previous term. so a possible recursive formula can be

, and for

5=812a+9+3

step 1: simplify both sides of the equation.

5=812a+9+3

5=(812a)+(9+3)(combine like terms)

5=812a+12

5=812a+12

step 2: flip the equation.

812a+12=5

step 3: subtract 12 from both sides.

812a+12−12=5−12

812a=−7

step 4: divide both sides by 812.

812a /812 = -7/812

a= -1/116

so the answer is

a=   -1/116