Interpreting nonlinear expressions – level 3-4

Level 3
72
1. T(r)= 𝑟
The Rule of 72 estimates the time, T(r), in years, needed for an investment to double when
the annual interest rate is r%, as shown in the function above. Which of the following is the
best description of the number 72 in this context?
A. 72 is the time needed for any investment to double.
B. 72 is the number of years needed for an investment to double when the annual interest
rate is 1%.
C. 72 is the maximum number of years it can take for an investment to double.
D. 72 is the number of years needed for an investment to double when the annual interest
rate is 2%.

1
2. A(x)= − (x−25)2+625
4

The area, A(x), of a rectangular enclosure that can be made from a limited amount of fencing
is shown above, where x is the length of one of the sides of the enclosure, measured in feet.
What is the maximum area that can be enclosed?
625

3. Wilma created the following formula to model the distance, d, in inches above the floor
of her jump after t seconds had passed.
d=144t(0.5−t)
What is the best interpretation of the number 0.5 in this equation?
A. Wilma jumped from an initial height of 0.5 inches.
B. Wilma landed on the ground 0.5 seconds after she jumped.
C. Wilma jumped with an initial velocity of 0.5 inches per second.
D. Wilma's jump reached a maximum distance of 0.5 inches above the floor.

𝑡
4. P(t)=25(2)1.06

The number of yeast cells, P(t), in a culture after t days is modeled by the equation shown
above. After how many days will the population double in size? Round the answer to the
nearest tenth. 1.1

5. The equation below models the height, h, in feet above the water for a cable in a
suspension bridge at a horizontal distance, x, in feet from the beginning of the span.
h=0.0002(x−1,955)2+100
100
How many feet above the water is the lowest point on the cable?
6. P(s)=−(s−a)2+b
The Yerkes-Dodson law predicts that the relationship between stress level, s, and
performance, P(s), of a difficult task can be modeled by a function of the form shown above,
where a and b are constants related to the measures of stress and performance for a
particular task. What is the best interpretation of a in this context?
A. a is the level of stress at which performance is minimal.
B. a is the level of peak performance.
C. a is the level of stress at which performance is maximal.
1
D. a is the level of stress at which performance is 2 of maximal performance.

Level 4
𝑡
7. F(t)= (0.95)2

The function F(t) defined above gives the percentage of information Dianna retained t days
after memorizing lines for a play. Assuming she did not work on her lines again, what is the
best description of 0.95 in this context?
A. Dianna will forget 95% of what she retained one day ago.
B. Dianna will forget 95% of what she retained two days ago.
C. Dianna will remember 95% of what she retained one day ago.
D. Dianna will remember 95% of what she retained two days ago.

8. The amount of water vapor, v (in grams), that will saturate 1 kilogram of dry air when the
temperature is d degrees Celsius is approximated by the following equation:
v=4.04⋅1.07d 7
For each increase of 1 degree, what is the percent increase in the amount of water vapor
required to saturate the air according to this model? (Do not type the percent sign.)

9. The administrators of a factory modeled the cumulative average construction time in

minutes per engine component as a function of the total number of components their
employees had constructed, n, using the following function:
T(n)=3.5+7⋅0.9n
What was the cumulative average time for an employee to construct one engine component
when they first began? 10.5
10. r=0.5(1.2)θ
A certain type of mollusk has a shell in the shape of a spiral, as shown below. The distance, r,
from the origin to a point on the spiral is modeled by the equation above, where θ is the
angle, in radians, measured counterclockwise from the positive x-axis to the same point on
the spiral. What is the best description of 0.5 in this formula:
A. 0.5 is the rate of increase of the radius
per 2π radians.
B. 0.5 is the ratio of radii that differ
by 2π radians.
C. 0.5 units is the length of the radius
corresponding to θ=0.
D. 0.5 units is the length of the radius
corresponding to θ=2π.

11. According to Bernoulli's equation below, the product of the area, A1, of a cross-section of
a hose at a particular point and the velocity, V1, of water traveling through the hose at
that point will be equal to the product of the area, A2, of a second cross-section of the
same hose at a second point and the velocity, V2, of water traveling through the hose at
the second point.
A1V1=A2V2
1
If someone covers 4 of the opening of a hose, how will the velocity of the water coming out

of the hose change?

1
A. The velocity of the water through the partially covered opening will be 4 of the velocity

through the full opening.

3
B. The velocity of the water through the partially covered opening will be 4 of the velocity

through the full opening.

4
C. The velocity of the water through the partially covered opening will be 3 of the velocity

through the full opening.

D. The velocity of the water through the partially covered opening will be 4 times the
velocity through the full opening.

12. P(t)=400(1.5)t
Biologists stocked a lake with a new species of fish. The number of the new species of fish in
the lake, P(t), t years after being stocked, is shown above. How many fish did the biologists
initially add to the lake?
400

20,000+0.15𝑥
13. A(x) =
𝑥
A doughnut franchise has determined that its average cost per unit (doughnut), A(x), is given
by the above function, where x is the number of units produced, x>0. Which of the following
best describes what happens to the average cost per doughnut as the number of doughnuts
produced increases?
A. The average cost gets closer and closer to 0.
B. The average cost gets closer and closer to $0.15 per doughnut.
C. The average cost is $0.15 per doughnut.
D. The average cost gets closer and closer to $20,000 per doughnut.

14. Reem is a test driver for an automobile company. The following formula gives the total
distance,d, in feet that Reem drove a luxury car in the first t seconds after idling at a
speed of 0 miles per hour, up to the time when she passed a particular safety cone.
d=15.69t2
Compared to the time it took Reem to pass the safety cone, how long did it take to pass a
4
sensor that was of the distance from the start?
9
16
A. of the time it required to pass the cone
81
4
B. of the time it required to pass the cone
9
2
C. of the time it required to pass the cone
3
9
D. of the time it required to pass the cone
4
15. The temperature T in degrees Celsius of a chilled drink after m minutes sitting on a table
is given by the following function.
T(m)=32−28⋅3−0.05m
What is the best interpretation of the number 32 in this function?
A. The drink is originally 32 degrees Celsius.
B. Every 32 minutes, the temperature warms by 3 degrees Celsius.
C. After 32 minutes, the drink will fully warm to the ambient temperature.
D. After sitting for a very long time, the drink will warm up to 32 degrees Celsius.