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A phone credit balance follows B = 45 - 3.75d, where B is the balance in pounds and d is the number of days. On which day does the balance reach zero?
AAfter 15 days
BAfter 18 days
CAfter 12 days
DAfter 9 days
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. After 12 days
1. The balance reaches zero when B = 0, so write 0 = 45 - 3.75d.
2. Add 3.75d to both sides to get 3.75d = 45.
3. Divide both sides by 3.75 to get d = 12.
4. Check by putting d = 12 back in: 3.75 pounds times 12 days is 45 pounds, and 45 minus 45 is 0.
5. Option A comes from dividing 45 by 3, which rounds the daily charge down and stretches the credit too far.
6. Option B comes from dividing 45 by 2.5, another rounding of the same kind.
7. Option D comes from dividing 45 by 5, rounding the daily charge up instead.
_Source: OpenStax College Algebra (CC BY 4.0), Ch 4 "Linear Functions", section 4.1 Linear Functions_
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