The question is asking for a symbolic representation of a linear function that calculates the total cost of a long-distance phone bill, where the rate is 20 cents per minute and there is a fixed fee of $2.95.

To write the function:

1. Variable: Let $t$ represent the number of minutes.
2. Rate per minute: The cost per minute is 20 cents, which is $0.20$ dollars per minute.
3. Fixed fee: The fixed fee is $2.95, which is a constant amount added to the total.

Function Setup:

The total cost $f(t)$, as a function of the number of minutes $t$, will be:

$f(t) = 0.20t + 2.95$

This is a linear function where:

• $0.20t$ represents the variable cost (based on the number of minutes),
• $2.95$ is the fixed fee.

Let me know if you would like more details on this or have any questions!

Here are 5 related questions to deepen your understanding:

1. How do we determine the slope of a linear function in real-world scenarios like this?
2. How would the equation change if the rate per minute was different, say 30 cents?
3. What if there was no fixed fee? How would that affect the linear function?
4. Can you graph the linear function $f(t) = 0.20t + 2.95$? What would the intercepts represent?
5. How would the function change if the cost per minute was charged in a different currency?

Tip: In linear functions like this one, the slope represents the rate of change, and the intercept represents the fixed starting point or initial condition!