Let's break down the given information and find the appropriate function that represents the height of the plant.
1. Initial Height: The height of the plant when it starts (with zero hours of sunlight) is given as 37 centimeters. This can be considered the initial value or the y-intercept in a linear equation.
2. Growth Rate: The plant grows at a rate of 0.004 centimeters per hour of sunlight. This means every hour the plant receives sunlight, its height increases by 0.004 centimeters. This can be considered as the slope in a linear equation.
The general form of a linear function is given by:
[tex]\[ f(s) = \text{slope} \times s + \text{initial value} \][/tex]
Given the above information:
- The slope, which represents the rate of growth per hour, is 0.004.
- The initial height of the plant is 37 centimeters.
Substitute these values into the general linear function form:
[tex]\[ f(s) = 0.004 \times s + 37 \][/tex]
So, the function that best represents the height of the plant depending on the amount of sunlight it receives is:
[tex]\[ f(s) = 0.004 s + 37 \][/tex]
Therefore, the correct answer is:
- [tex]\( f(s) = 0.004 s + 37 \)[/tex]
