Use the distributive property to write the next step in simplifying the numerical expression. use the asterisk symbol ( * ) to represent multiplication. do not multiply factors fully and do not use spaces. 7(x + 7)

The federal reserve controls certain interest rates in the united states. investors often try to speculate as to whether the federal reserve will raise or lower rates and by how much. suppose a company conducts extensive interviews with financial analysts, and as a result, predicts that "thefed" will increase rates by an average of 0.25 percentage points every six months for the forseeable future. which type of equation could be used to model the predicted interest rates over the next several years, assuming no other significant changes? a) a linear equation b) a quadratic equation c) a polynomial equation d) an exponential equation