Pass the WGU Courses and Certificates Applied-Algebra Questions and answers with CertsForce

The graph shows the water volume decreasing over time.

The vertical axis represents:

" Water volume in gallons "

The horizontal axis represents:

" Time in minutes "

The graph is an exponential decay curve. It decreases quickly at first, then levels off.

From the graph, the curve approaches a horizontal value near:

y=1,000

This means the horizontal asymptote is approximately:

y=1,000

Since the graph approaches 1,000 gallons, it will not decrease to 500 gallons according to this model.

The water volume does not change by a constant rate because exponential functions do not have constant additive change. Also, the graph decreases fastest at the beginning, not later.

The graph compares the populations of two towns over time.

The horizontal axis represents:

" Time in years "

The vertical axis represents:

" Population in thousands "

The graph shows:

Town A as the solid blue line.

Town B as the dashed blue line.

To determine which town’s population is growing faster, we compare the slopes of the two lines.

In Applied Algebra, the slope of a line represents the rate of change:

" slope " = " change in population " / " change in time "

From the graph:

" Town A grows at about " 0.9 " thousand people per year "

" Town B grows at about " 1.6 " thousand people per year "

Now compare the growth rates:

1.6 > 0.9

So Town B’s population is growing at a faster rate.

The values 8.0and 6.5describe starting populations, not growth rates. Since the question asks about growing at a faster rate, we must compare the slopes.

The function f(n) gives the distance traveled by vehicle B.

The input n represents the distance traveled by vehicle A.

The problem says vehicle B travels 17 more than vehicle A. The phrase “17 more than” means we add 17 to the amount traveled by vehicle A.

So the relationship is:

f(n)=n+17

For example, if vehicle A traveled 50 miles, then vehicle B traveled:

f(50)=50+17=67

So the correct function is:

f(n)=n+17

Therefore, the correct answer is:

B

The graph shows the temperature of an object decreasing over time.

The horizontal axis represents:

" Time in minutes "

The vertical axis represents:

" Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit "

The curve decreases and approaches the horizontal axis as time increases.

A horizontal asymptote is a horizontal line that the graph approaches but may not reach. Horizontal lines have equations of the form:

y= " constant "

From the graph, the curve approaches:

y=0

So the horizontal asymptote is:

y=0

The options x=0and x=500are vertical lines, not horizontal asymptotes.

Therefore, the correct answer is:

▭ ( " B " )

The function is:

P(t)=24t+185

This is a linear function in the form:

P(t)=mt+b

where:

m= " rate of change "

and

b= " initial value "

In the function:

P(t)=24t+185

the coefficient of tis:

24

So the rate of change is:

24 " fish per month "

Because 24is positive, the fish population is increasing.

The number 185is not the rate of change. It represents the starting fish population at the beginning of the year, when t=0:

P(0)=24(0)+185=185

Therefore, the correct interpretation is:

" The number of fish in the lake is increasing at a constant rate of 24 fish per month. "

So the correct answer is:

▭ ( " B " )

The graph represents:

x(t)= " number of users watching a live video "

where:

t= " hours after 9:00 a.m. "

We are asked to interpret the concavity between:

t=3.2

and

t=5.7

On this interval, the graph is going downward, so the number of users is decreasing.

Also, the graph becomes steeper as it moves downward during this interval. That means the rate of decrease is becoming larger in magnitude.

In other words, the number of users is not just decreasing; it is decreasing more quickly as time passes.

So the correct interpretation is:

" The number of users is decreasing faster and faster. "

Therefore, the correct answer is:

▭ ( " C " )

The function c(t)gives the number of active shopping carts on a website.

Because c(t)represents active carts, the difference between c(6)and c(8)will be measured in:

" active carts "

not hours.

First evaluate c(6):

c(6)=-0.01(6)^4+0.25(6)^3-2.33(6)^2+9.02(6)+8

c(6)=19.28

Now evaluate c(8):

c(8)=-0.01(8)^4+0.25(8)^3-2.33(8)^2+9.02(8)+8

c(8)=18.08

Now find the difference:

19.28-18.08=1.20

This is approximately:

1 " active cart "

Therefore, the correct answer is:

▭ ( " B " )

The regression model has:

r^2=0.99

This means the model is a very strong fit for the data because 0.99is close to 1.

However, a strong r^2value does not automatically make every prediction appropriate. We also have to check whether the x-value is within a reasonable extrapolation range.

The data shown on the graph appear to extend to about:

x=11

The prediction is for:

x=16.4

This is far beyond the observed data range. Even though the model fits the known data very well, predicting too far beyond the data can be unreliable.

The correct statement is that the r^2value indicates a strong fit, but x=16.4is more than 50%of the range beyond the maximum observed value.

Therefore, the correct answer is:

▭ ( " A " )

The graph is a logistic growth function.

A logistic function often has an S-shape. It begins by increasing slowly, then increases faster and faster, and later levels off as it approaches a maximum carrying capacity.

From year 1 to year 9, the graph is rising and becoming steeper.

That means:

" the wild horse population is increasing "

and the slope is getting larger, so:

" the population is increasing faster and faster "

Therefore, the correct answer is:

▭ ( " A " )

This graph represents a logistic growth function, which has an S-shaped curve:

Slow growth at the beginning (near point A)

Rapid growth in the middle (near point B and C)

Slowing growth at the end (near point D)

Key Concept:

Instantaneous rate of change = slope of the tangent line at a single point

Average rate of change = slope between two points

Analyze the graph:

At point A → slope is small (slow increase)

From A to C → increasing but not maximum

At point C → curve is steepest → maximum slope

From C to D → curve flattens → smaller slope

At point D → slope is very small (almost flat)

Conclusion:

The greatest rate of change occurs where the graph is steepest, which is at:

" Point C "