Express the relationship between x and y as x = a + b y .
Substitute the given values to form a system of equations: 30 = a + 2 b and 50 = a + 6 b .
Solve the system to find a = 20 and b = 5 , so the relationship is x = 20 + 5 y .
Substitute y = 3 into the equation to find x = 20 + 5 ( 3 ) = 35 , so the final answer is 35 .
Explanation
Understanding the Problem We are given that x is partly constant and partly varies as y . This means we can express the relationship between x and y as x = a + b y , where a is the constant part and b y is the part that varies with y . We are given two sets of values for x and y : when y = 2 , x = 30 , and when y = 6 , x = 50 . Our goal is to find the values of a and b and then use them to find x when y = 3 .
Setting up the Equations Using the given information, we can set up a system of two linear equations:
When y = 2 , x = 30 : 30 = a + 2 b (Equation 1) When y = 6 , x = 50 : 50 = a + 6 b (Equation 2)
Solving for b To solve for a and b , we can use the method of elimination. Subtract Equation 1 from Equation 2:
50 − 30 = ( a + 6 b ) − ( a + 2 b ) 20 = 4 b b = 4 20 = 5
Solving for a Now that we have the value of b , we can substitute it back into Equation 1 to solve for a :
30 = a + 2 ( 5 ) 30 = a + 10 a = 30 − 10 = 20
Finding the Relationship Now we know that a = 20 and b = 5 . Therefore, the relationship between x and y is x = 20 + 5 y .
Finding x when y=3 To find x when y = 3 , we substitute y = 3 into the equation:
x = 20 + 5 ( 3 ) x = 20 + 15 x = 35
Final Answer Therefore, when y = 3 , x = 35 . The relationship between x and y is x = 20 + 5 y .
Examples
Understanding how variables relate to each other, with one part being constant and another varying, is useful in many real-life situations. For example, consider a taxi fare. The fare often includes a fixed charge plus a variable charge based on the distance traveled. If you know the fare for two different distances, you can determine the fixed charge and the per-mile charge, and then predict the fare for any distance. This kind of analysis helps in budgeting and making informed decisions about costs.