Question

a gardener planted a newly sprouted oak tree that was just 3.5 inches tall. the sapling grew 12 inches each year. write an equation that shows how the saplings height in inches, y, depends on the number of years since it was planted, x. y =

Explanation:

Step1: Identify the initial height

The initial height of the sapling is 3.5 inches. This is the constant term in the linear - equation.

Step2: Identify the rate of growth

The sapling grows 12 inches each year. So the coefficient of the variable \(x\) (number of years) is 12.

Step3: Write the linear equation

The general form of a linear equation is \(y = mx + b\), where \(m\) is the slope (rate of change) and \(b\) is the y - intercept (initial value). Here, \(m = 12\) and \(b=3.5\). So the equation is \(y = 12x + 3.5\).

Answer:

\(y = 12x+3.5\)