MAT 142: how would you scale your axes if the rate of change

MixedConviction

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Oct 31, 2006
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Hey guys, I need some help. Here is the question:

Draw a Cartesian coordinate system (x and y axes that intersect). How would you have to scale your axes if you were sketching a line and the rate of linear change you were modeling was:

a. 10
b. 100
c. 1000
d. 1,000,000
e. One billion
f. One trillion
g. Negative one trillion?
What do I do? I'm so confused.
 
When you say "the rate of linear change", do you mean "the slope of the line"? If so, you need to think in terms of how fast the graph is going to be growing, and how you need to allow "room" for the line you'll be drawing. This question is just asking you for your personal preference for how you would draw your graph.

I would doubt that there is any one "right" answer. Anything sensible would probably be acceptable. For instance, for (a), since the slope is 10, then the equation is something along the lines of "y = 10x + 5". You might want a scale of counting by one's on the x-axis, but counting by 10's on the y-axis; or counting by two's on the x-axis, and counting by 50's on the y-axis. It's your choice.

Eliz.
 
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