Ervin sells vintage cars. Every three months, he sells 13 cars. Assuming he sells cars at a constant rate, what is the slope of the line representing this relationship if time in months is along the x-axis and the number of cars sold is along the y-axis?

A. [tex]\(\frac{3}{13}\)[/tex]

B. 3

C. [tex]\(\frac{13}{3}\)[/tex]

D. 13



Answer :

Let's examine the given information step-by-step.

1. Understanding the Problem:
- Ervin sells vintage cars.
- He sells 13 cars every 3 months.
- We assume he sells cars at a constant rate.
- We need to determine the slope of the line that represents this linear relationship, with time in months on the [tex]\(x\)[/tex]-axis and the number of cars sold on the [tex]\(y\)[/tex]-axis.

2. What is a Slope in This Context?
- The slope (often denoted as [tex]\(m\)[/tex]) of a line in the context of these variables represents the rate of change in the number of cars sold per month.

3. Determining the Slope:
- The slope [tex]\(m\)[/tex] is calculated as the change in the [tex]\(y\)[/tex]-value (number of cars sold) divided by the change in the [tex]\(x\)[/tex]-value (time in months).
- Change in the number of cars sold = 13 cars (this is the vertical change, or rise).
- Change in time = 3 months (this is the horizontal change, or run).

4. Calculation of the Slope:
- Using the formula for slope:
[tex]\[ \text{slope} = \frac{\text{change in } y}{\text{change in } x} = \frac{13 \text{ cars}}{3 \text{ months}} = \frac{13}{3} \][/tex]

5. Reviewing the Options:
- A. [tex]\(\frac{3}{13}\)[/tex] (This represents a smaller rate than needed, indicating less than one car per month, which is not correct given Ervin's rate.)
- B. 3 (This implies Ervin sells 3 cars per month, which is incorrect as he sells more than that per month.)
- C. [tex]\(\frac{13}{3}\)[/tex] (This represents selling approximately 4.33 cars per month and matches our calculated slope.)
- D. 13 (This implies selling 13 cars every month, while the reality is every three months.)

6. Correct Answer:
- The correct answer representing the rate of cars sold per month is:
[tex]\[ \frac{13}{3} \][/tex]

Thus, the correct answer is [tex]\(C. \frac{13}{3}\)[/tex].

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