A taxicab charges $4.25 for the first mile and $1,50 for each additional mile. Write a rule for describing the total rater as a function of the total miles m. What is the taxi rate for 12 miles?

1 Answer
Oct 27, 2016

"Total charge "=$4.25+$1.50(m-1)

"Total charge for 12 miles " =" "$20.75

Explanation:

color(blue)("Building the rule")

The trick with algebra is to think what you would do with numbers, then substitute letters.

Mile number 1 costs $4.25

The rest of the miles =>("total miles "-1)xx$1.50

Putting this all together we have:

$4.25 +("total miles "-1)xx$1.50

The question instructs that we are to use the letter m for the total miles so we now have:

$4.25 +(m-1)xx$1.50

This would be written as:

$4.25 +$1.50(m-1)

So " Total charge "=$4.25+$1.50(m-1)

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color(blue)("Determine the charge for 12 miles")

" Total charge "=$4.25+$1.50(12-1)

" Total charge "=$4.25+$1.50(11)

" Total charge for 12 miles "=$4.25+$16.50" " =" "$20.75