## taepoohwae one year ago the cost of driving a car includes both fixed costs and mileage costs. assume that it costs $162.10 per month for insurance and car payments and$0.26 per mile gasoline, oil, and routine maintenance. Find the values for m and b so that y=mx+b models the monthly cost of driving the car x miles. what dos the value of b represent?

1. kelliegirl33

y = mx + b y is total cost m is 0.26 (cost per mile, gas,oil, and maintenance) x is number of miles b = 162.10 (cost per month for insurance and car payments y = 0.26x + 162.10 <===here is the equation Do you understand ?

2. taepoohwae

I'm new to this. I really don'tr know where to begin in order to solve.

3. kelliegirl33

Look at what I did and tell me what you don't understand ?

4. taepoohwae

Not sure of the steps to follow to find the answer to m or b.

5. taepoohwae

Are you saying that the answer for m is 0.26 and b is 162.10

6. kelliegirl33

The question asks for the value of mx and b. m = 0.26 with x being undefined number of miles. b = monthly cost of the car.

7. kelliegirl33

let me rephrase that....y = the total cost (gas, car payment,maintenance, etc. b is just the cost of the car payment and insurance. m is the cost per mile, gas, oil and stuff like that (.26) x being the number of miles (which is not given)

8. taepoohwae

Thanks for trying... I still don't know how to solve for m or b.

9. kelliegirl33

@Hero ...can you help me explain this ?

10. kelliegirl33

hold on taepoohwae.....Hero is better at explaining then I am. He will be here soon

11. kelliegirl33

@Hero .....help

12. kelliegirl33

@ParthKohli ....can you help me explain this ?

13. kelliegirl33

taepoohwae doesn't seem to understand ...I am not really good at explaining

14. ParthKohli

Start with ignoring the $$y = mx + b$$ thingy. It's of no use. So you need $$0.26$$ for one mile. Then you need $$0.26 \times \text{number of miles driven}$$ throughout the month. Assume that $$m$$ is the number of miles you drive, then $$0.26m$$ is the money you need. You write $$y = 0.26m$$ where $$y$$ is the cost. STOP RIGHT THERE! You need $$162.10$$ for maintenance, so it'd always be there added to the costs like a ninja. That'd make $$0.26m + 162.10$$ as the total money you need

15. kelliegirl33

Oh...your good, you should be a teacher

16. ParthKohli

Actually let's just say that the number of miles is $$x$$. Then you have $$y = \color{#C00}{m}x + \color{#AE9}{b}$$

17. ParthKohli

$y = \color{#C00}{m}x + \color{#AE5}{b}$$y = \color{#C00}{0.26}x + \color{#AE3}{162.10}$

18. kelliegirl33

maybe taepoohwae will understand now....thx ParthKohli

19. taepoohwae

thanks!

20. kelliegirl33