Question

Let y = 3t + 6 be a linear function representing the distance from home for an ant t minutes after starting out from a location near its home. What does the number 3 represent in this function?

A. The ant is 3 feet from its home after t minutes.

B. The ant started out 3 feet from its home.

C. The ant is crawling at 3 feet per minute.

D. The ant is moving 3 feet every 6 minutes.

***Please explain!! :) THanks :)

Answer 1

A table might help here

Answer 2

t | y
----------------
0 | 6
1 | 9
2 | 12
3 | 15
4 | 18
5 | 21

Notice how when t = 2 for instance, y is

y = 3t+6

y = 3(2)+6

y = 12

So in the row that starts with 2, you write '12' in the 'y' column.

Answer 3

So in the beginning (t = 0 minutes), the ant is 6 ft from home.

1 minute later at t = 1, the ant is 9 ft from home.

The next minute after that (t = 2), the ant is 12 ft from home.

etc etc

Answer 4

okay i see :) so they're asking what the number 3 represents... in 3t right?

Answer 5

yes, using the info above, what does it mean?

Answer 6

the ant started 3 feet from its home?? because 3(3)+6=9+6=15??

Answer 7

no, it started 6 ft from his home because when t = 0, y = 6

Answer 8

its in the first row of the table

Answer 9

is the ant moving 3 feet for every 6 minutes then? idk :/

Answer 10

C. The ant is crawling at 3 feet per minute.
because as jim says 6 is the starting distance from home.........each value of t is multiplied by 3....

Answer 11

no, it moves 3 ft in one minute

Answer 12

so its speed is 3 ft/min

Answer 13

ohhh so the answer is C. the ant is crawling at 3 feet per minute? =) cuz y is the feet moved... and x represents the minutes??

Answer 14

exactly

Answer 15

yay :) thanks!! :)

Answer 16

yw