Solve the problem.The amount of highway mileage (in thousands of miles) U and R in urban areas and rural areas, respectively, can be modeled by the functionsU = 12.88t + 625.48 R = -13.38t + 3286.68 where t represents the number of years since 1980.i) Compare U with R when t = 0. What do these values mean in terms of highway mileage?ii) Compare the slopes of U and R. What do these slopes mean in terms of highway mileage?iii) Predict when the highway mileage in urban areas will equal the highway mileage in rural areas.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

i) When t = 0, U = 625.48 and R = 3286.68; There is more highway mileage in rural areas than urban areas in 1980.
ii) The slope of U is 12.88 and the slope of R is -13.38; the mileage is increasing in urban areas by  per year. The mileage is decreasing in rural areas by 13,380 miles per year.
iii) 2081