Math Problem Statement

Consider the following set of data

t

1

2

3

4

5

x

9.38

123.36

506.22

1572.37

2539.41

What equation best describes the relation between x and t?

Group of answer choices

x=Bt^q,q≥2

x=Ctp,p<0

x=Aekt

x=mt+b. Why is the answer x=Bt^q,q≥2

Solution

To determine which equation best describes the relationship between xx and tt, let's analyze the data. Given that tt values are increasing from 1 to 5 and corresponding xx values grow very quickly (from 9.38 to 2539.41), this suggests a nonlinear relationship, possibly an exponential or power relationship.

Here's why x=Btq,q2x = Bt^q, \, q \geq 2 is the correct choice:

  1. Nonlinear Growth: The values of xx increase much more rapidly as tt increases. This behavior is consistent with a power function x=Btqx = Bt^q, where qq is greater than or equal to 2, indicating faster-than-linear growth.

  2. Exponential Growth Consideration: While an exponential function, such as x=Aektx = Ae^{kt}, also exhibits rapid growth, it would typically produce an even more explosive growth pattern with a constant rate of increase, not matching the specific gradual acceleration in xx observed here.

  3. Power Function with q2q \geq 2: A power function x=Btqx = Bt^q with q2q \geq 2 fits well because each increase in tt appears to result in a polynomial-like growth in xx, which aligns well with the structure of the data.

  4. Other Options:

    • The linear equation x=mt+bx = mt + b would imply a constant rate of increase in xx for each unit increase in tt, which does not match the rapid growth seen here.
    • The equation x=Ctpx = C t^p with p<0p < 0 would suggest that xx decreases as tt increases, which contradicts the data.

Thus, the equation x=Btqx = Bt^q with q2q \geq 2 best represents the observed data growth pattern.

Would you like more details or have any specific questions?

Here are some further questions you might find interesting:

  1. How can we calculate the values of BB and qq from the data?
  2. What types of real-world situations might be modeled by a power function with q2q \geq 2?
  3. How would the relationship change if we considered an exponential function?
  4. Can we visualize this data and see the curve to confirm the best-fitting equation?
  5. How does this power function compare with quadratic or cubic polynomials?

Tip: When determining the best fit for data, consider how quickly the dependent variable grows. Exponential growth often outpaces polynomial growth, but high-degree polynomials can also model rapid changes.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Power Functions
Nonlinear Relationships
Curve Fitting

Formulas

x = Bt^q

Theorems

Nonlinear Growth Patterns

Suitable Grade Level

College Level or Advanced High School