Question

help with linear equations for Algebra 2.
My daughter Emily is having trouble with her assignment. It is about a candle burning for x amount of hours and it looses height after so long

Answer 1

is she an flvs student

Answer 2

what is a flvs student??

Answer 3

Florida virtual school

Answer 4

No, She is a SC virtual student

Answer 5

ok because i have run into this question before ill be right back i might still have it

Answer 6

ok

Answer 7

is there a lesson name or topic

Answer 8

The actual question reads, a candle is 17 in. tall after burning for 3 hrs. After 5 hours, it is 15 in. tall. Write a linear equation to model the relationship between height h of the candle and the time "t". Predict how tall the candle will be after burning 8 hours.

Answer 9

So, mom is stupid and can't find info in her book or on the computer lesson on how to do this. Can you help?

Answer 10

Functions, Equations and Graphs is all I know

Answer 11

yeah im trying to find it i have done this before but it was in science

Answer 12

@kelliegirl33 can you help me with this

Answer 13

yeah, this is throwing me through a loop. I even looked in her Chemistry book to see if I could find the answer. No luck. It has been 6 years since I worked on this in college.

Answer 14

lol i can understand

Answer 15

@zepdrix please help with this

Answer 16

is zepdrix another tutor

Answer 17

im just giving a random guess but it might be round 12 inches

Answer 18

That is what I am thinking, but How do I write out the equations.

Answer 19

Since you are told that it's a linear relationship, you just need two points to write the equation for the line.

You want height as a function of time, so the function has h in the place of the dependent (y) variable and t as the independent (x) variable, e.g., a point on the line has coordinates (h,t).

You are given two points:
a candle is 17 in. tall after burning for 3 hrs. ---> so this is point (17,3)

After 5 hours, it is 15 in. tall. ---> so this is point (15, 5)

Ask your daughter if she knows how to come up with the equation for a line, given two points on the line. That's the problem, at this point. :)

Answer 20

Once she has the equation, to find the height after 8 hours, just plug in t=8 to the equation, and find h.

Answer 21

let me put her on the computer.

Answer 22

Crud, I have those points reversed above.... SORRY!!!!

It should say this:

You are given two points:
a candle is 17 in. tall after burning for 3 hrs. ---> so this is point (3, 17)
After 5 hours, it is 15 in. tall. ---> so this is point (5, 15)

Answer 23

t, time is the independent variable - so is the first coordinate (takes the place of x)
h, height is the dependent variable - so is the 2nd coordinate (takes the place of y)

Sorry,hope that didn't throw you off too much in the explanation!

Answer 24

This is Emily. ok so i basically use the points and do slope intercept to find the height after 8 hours.

Answer 25

Well, yes - use the points (the revised, correct points, lol) and find the equation for the line.

First you'll find the slope, and then you can use whatever method you like to find the equation for the line (solve for b in the slope-intercept form is fine).

Once you have the equation for the line, you plug in t=8, and find h. :)

Answer 26

ok thank u

Answer 27

you're welcome. :)