Question

An entrepeneur estimates that total profit( profit = total cost) from his proposed company will be given the function P(x)=x^3-4x^2+3x-12, when P is in hundreds of dollars and x is the number of years elapsed after the company starts operations. in how many years (x) will the company break even (no profit, no loss)?
A)1year
B)2 years
C)3 years
D)4 years
E)6 years

Answer 1

Hmm, did you try plugging numbers in? :).. such as the years?

Answer 2

Try plugging these in, and simplify it out and check if y = 0

Answer 3

if y = 0 that's your break even point.

Answer 4

yes and i still dont under stand it

Answer 5

what do you not understand?

Answer 6

how to do this type of work

Answer 7

x stands for time, and in this case, x is the number of years- so you CHECK the amount of money the company makes in the certain number of years by multiplying the number of years (x) into the equation.

Okay I will walk you through it.

Do you know how to multiply exponents?

Answer 8

yes

Answer 9

so would i do

P(x)=1^3-4*1^2+3*1-12

Answer 10

yeah thats right

Answer 11

P(x)=1-4+3-12
P(x)=3+3-12
P(x)=6-12
P(x)=6

Answer 12

don't forget about the signs.. it supposed to be -12

Answer 13

P(x)=2^3-4*2^2+3*2-12
P(x)=8-16+6-12
P(x)=8+6-12
P(x)=14-12
P(x)=2

Answer 14

hmm..it's -14

Answer 15

just do it from left to right when doing your addition to subtraction. After you got the exponents out- it's just left to right with subtraction and addition.

Answer 16

that is what i did

Answer 17

So your steps were perfect, just do literally:

8-16 = -8 +6 = -2 - 12 = -14

Answer 18

ok

Answer 19

good job, keep going!

Answer 20

How about 4? Because if you plug that in, y should equal to zero :)

Answer 21

ok it is not A, B, or C

Answer 22

x^3-4x^2+3x-12

X^3= 4^3 = 64
X^3(4) = 4^2 =16(4) = 64 and you have to minus so this equals to 0 and the next part..
3(x) = 3(4) = 12 - 12 = 0

So that is when they are at the break even point. :)
D)4 years

Answer 23

but you understand now right? ;p

Answer 24

ok thank you yes i understand now

Answer 25

that's good, good luck with your maths.