Question

juniper springs conservation area
the equation for the line of best fit is y = 2x + 7. according to the equation, which of these statements is true?
the tortoise population increases by about 2 tortoises every year.
the tortoise population increases by about 2 tortoises every 7 years.

Explanation:

Step1: Analyze the linear equation form

The general form of a linear equation is \(y = mx + b\), where \(m\) is the slope and \(b\) is the y - intercept. In the given equation \(y = 2x+7\), \(m = 2\) and \(b = 7\).

Step2: Interpret the slope

The slope \(m\) represents the rate of change. In the context of the problem, \(x\) is time (in years) and \(y\) is the tortoise population. The slope \(m = 2\) means that for each unit increase in \(x\) (i.e., each year), \(y\) (the tortoise population) increases by 2.

Answer:

The tortoise population increases by about 2 tortoises every year.