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Mathematics 14 Online
OpenStudy (anonymous):

HELP

OpenStudy (anonymous):

The following formula models the number of prison inmates, P, in thousands, who are in U.S. prisons x years after 1980. P = 2 x^2+24 x+318 Find the first year in which the population of U.S. prisons was approximately 638 thousand people. Answer: The population reached 638 thousand people in the year

OpenStudy (anonymous):

@jim_thompson5910

OpenStudy (wmj259):

\[P(x)=2x ^{2}+24x+318\]

OpenStudy (wmj259):

Correct?

OpenStudy (wmj259):

Wait now, You are looking for how much population?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

no the year when the population was 638

OpenStudy (anonymous):

i ment 638 thousand

OpenStudy (wmj259):

So you know how a function works? X is the value you input (in this case years) and P(x)=population at x-years. Yes?

jimthompson5910 (jim_thompson5910):

P is already in thousands so if P = 2 for instance, then you have a population of 2,000 (not just 2)

OpenStudy (mertsj):

\[638=2x^2+24x+302\]

jimthompson5910 (jim_thompson5910):

Mertsj has the right equation because P = 638 means the population is 638,000

OpenStudy (wmj259):

@Mertsj, thats correct.

OpenStudy (anonymous):

so x=-20 and x=8

OpenStudy (matlee):

wait chck this before you stated this was the first equation P(x)=2x2+24x+318 but you said you wrote it like this 638=2x^2+24x+302 is it 318 or 302

OpenStudy (anonymous):

+318

jimthompson5910 (jim_thompson5910):

matlee has a good point that I didn't notice

OpenStudy (matlee):

thnx jim ok so would the answer still be right?

jimthompson5910 (jim_thompson5910):

which answer are you referring to?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

x=-20 x=8

OpenStudy (matlee):

Sorry guys keep losing connections is that happening to anyone else

jimthompson5910 (jim_thompson5910):

then you ignore the negative answers because x is the number of years after 1980

OpenStudy (matlee):

ok nevermind it went through

jimthompson5910 (jim_thompson5910):

yeah the site is weird sometimes

jimthompson5910 (jim_thompson5910):

so the only answer is x = 8

OpenStudy (anonymous):

but it says in what year is 8 a year?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

so whats the final answer?

jimthompson5910 (jim_thompson5910):

x = 8 is the number of years after 1980 so you simply add 8 to 1980 to get 1988

OpenStudy (anonymous):

your a genious

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