Fiber-optic cables are used widely for internet wiring, data transmission, and surgeries. When light passes through a fiber-optic cable, its intensity decreases with the increase in the length of the cable. If 1500 lumens of light enters the cable, the intensity of light decreases by 3.4% per meter of the cable.

Part A: Can this situation be represented by a linear function? Justify your answer. (2 points)

Part B: Write a function f(x) to represent the intensity of light, in lumens, when it has passed through x meters of the cable. (4 points)

Question

Fiber-optic cables are used widely for internet wiring, data transmission, and surgeries. When light passes through a fiber-optic cable, its intensity decreases with the increase in the length of the cable. If 1500 lumens of light enters the cable, the intensity of light decreases by 3.4% per meter of the cable.

Part A: Can this situation be represented by a linear function? Justify your answer. (2 points)

Part B: Write a function f(x) to represent the intensity of light, in lumens, when it has passed through x meters of the cable. (4 points)

anonymous · Answer

Part C: Some scientists are trying to make a cab

anonymous · Answer

@Hero

valpey · Answer

This is not a linear function. It is geometric (or exponential). Each additional meter has a multiplicative effect on the amount of light remaining. We can say that 3.4% of the light is lost every meter, or we can say that 96.6% of the light is retained every meter.