Question

question ryan is a salesperson who sells computers at an electronics store. he makes a base pay amount each day and then is paid a commission for every computer sale he makes. the equation $p = 17.50x + 65$ represents ryans total pay on a day on which he sells $x$ computers. what is the $y$-intercept of the equation and what is its interpretation in the context of the problem? answer at 1 out of 2 the $y$-intercept of the function is \boxed{} which represents.

Explanation:

Step1: Recall slope - intercept form

The slope - intercept form of a linear equation is $y = mx + b$, where $m$ is the slope and $b$ is the $y$-intercept. In the given equation $P = 17.50x+65$, we can think of $P$ as the dependent variable (similar to $y$) and $x$ as the independent variable.

Step2: Identify the y - intercept

Comparing $P = 17.50x + 65$ with $y=mx + b$, we can see that the value of $b$ (the $y$-intercept) is 65.

Step3: Interpret the y - intercept

In the context of the problem, $x$ represents the number of computers sold. When $x = 0$ (i.e., Ryan sells 0 computers), the value of $P$ (his total pay) is $P=17.50(0)+65 = 65$. So the $y$-intercept of 65 represents Ryan's base pay (the amount he earns even if he sells 0 computers in a day).

Answer:

The $y$-intercept of the function is 65, which represents Ryan's base pay (the amount he earns when he sells 0 computers in a day).