Interpreting linear functions – level 3-4

Level 3
𝑚
1. 𝑔 = 15 − 32

If Vera starts with a full tank of gas, the number of gallons of gas, 𝑔, left in the tank after driving
𝑚 mile is given by the equation above. When full, how many gallons of gas does Vera’s tank hold?
A. 15 gallons
B. 17 gallons
C. 30 gallons
D. 32 gallons

2. Officials project that between 2010 and 2050, the Sub-Saharan African population will
drastically change. The model below gives the projection of the population, P, in thousands, with
respect to time, t ( provided that 2010 is when t = 0).
11
𝑃 = 175 + 𝑡
2

What does the 175 mean in the equation?

A. In 2010, the population of Sub-Saharan African was 175 thousand.
B. In 2050, the population of Sub-Saharan African will be 175 thousand.
C. Between 2010 and 2050, the population of Sub-Saharan African will increase by 175
thousand.
D. Between 2010 and 2050, the population of Sub-Saharan African will decrease by 175
thousand.

3. 𝑆 = 537.5 − 1.25𝑝
An artist is carving chess pieces from a large piece of marble. After carving 𝑝 chess pieces, there
are 𝑆 pounds of uncarved marble left. As the number of chess pieces carved increases, what
happens to the weight of the uncarved marble?
A. There are 125 pounds left.
B. There are 537.5 pounds left.
C. The weight decreases.
D. The weight increases.

1
4. 𝑊 = − 2 𝑚 + 16

Henry’s water bottle is leaking at a constant rate. The amount of water, 𝑾, in ounces, that is left
1
in the water bottle after leaking for 𝑚 minutes is given by the equation above. What does the − 2

mean in the equation?

A. The water bottle loses 2 ounces of water per minute.
1
B. The water bottle loses 2
an ounces of water per minute.

1
C. The water bottle has 2
an ounces of water in it at the start.
 1
D. 2
of the water has leaked from the water bottle in one minte.

5. 𝑃 = 23 + 10(ℎ − 1)
People start waiting in the line for the release of the newest cell phone at 5 a.m. The equation
below gives the number of people, P, in line between the hours, h, of 6 a.m. and 11 a.m., when
the doors open. Assume that 6 a.m. is when time ℎ = 1. What does the 23 mean in the equation
above?
A. There are 23 people in line at 6 a.m.
B. After 10 hours, a total of 23 people will be in line.
C. Every hour between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m., 23 more people get in line.
D. Every hour between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m., 23 more people get in line.

6. S=40,000+500c
Caden started a new job selling dental chairs. He earns a base salary plus a commission for every
chair he sells. The equation above gives Caden's annual salary, S, in dollars, after selling c dental
chairs. Based on the equation above, what is Caden's base salary?
A. $39,500
B. $40,000
C. $40,500
D. $50,000

7. Anthropologists have noticed that they can predict the height of a human being based on the
length of their femur. The relationship between the person’s height, H, in centimeters, and length
of the femur, f, in centimeters, can be modeled by the equation below.
𝐻 = 2.72𝑓 + 42.12
One anthropologist found the femurs of two different people. One femur measured 22 centimeters
and the other femur measured 23 centimeters. What is the difference in their heights?
A. 1 centimeter
B. 2.72 centimeters
C. 27.2 centimeters
D. 42.12 centimeters

8. 𝑑 = 1.06(212 − 𝑡)
A spacecraft heading for Pluto will take pictures of several other planets on its way. The above
equation gives the distance, d, in millions of kilometers, of the craft from its first photo
opportunity with Mars in terms of the time, t, in days. What is the meaning of the 212 in this
equation?
A. The spacecraft travels 212 kilometers per day.
B. It will take the spacecraft 212 days to reach the Mars photo opportunity.
C. The spacecraft begins its journey 212 kilometers from the Mars photo opportunity.
D. After 212 days, the spacecraft will be within 1.06 kilometers of the Mars photo opportunity.

9. 35𝐴 + 28𝑃 = 250

Vera is hiring entertainers for her charity event. She is using the equation above to determine the
number of hours, A and P, to hire a caricature artist and a face painter for, respectively, with a total
budgeted cost of $250. The caricature artist charges $35 per hour and the face painter charges $ 28
per hour. What is the meaning of the 35A in this equation?
A. The caricature artist charges 35A dollars per hour.
B. The caricature artist works for a minimum of 35A hours in a week.
C. For the first 35 hours each week, the caricature artist makes A dollars.
D. The caricature artist charges a total of 35A dollars for A hours worked.

10. 𝑃 = 100ℎ − 2,000

It costs $2,000 a month for Mia to rent space to run her law firm. She charges $100 per hour for
legal advice. The equation above gives Mia’s profit, P, per month, after working h hour. How
many hours does Mia have to work before she starts to make money each month?
A. 20 hours
B. 80 hours
C. 100 hours
D. 200 hours

Level 4
11. 𝐶 = 1.5𝑏 + 67.5
The total cost, C, in dollars, to produce b books is given by the equation below. What is the
meaning of 1.5 in the equation?
A. 1.5 books will cost $67.50 to produce.
B. It costs an extra $1.50 for each book produced.
C. If you produce one book, you total cost will be $1.50
D. There is a flat fee of $1.50 to produce any number of books.

12. 𝐵 = 0.55𝐴
Jing is making homemade peanut butter. The equation above shows the amount of peanut butter
yielded, B, in cups, for A cups of peanuts. What percentage of the volume of peanuts is lost when
processing them into peanut butter?
A. 0.55%
B. 0.45%
C. 55%
D. 45%

13. 𝑃 = 0.7𝑐
A store is having a sale on every item purchased. Irina decides to take advantage of the sale and
purchases a sweater. The equation that gives the after-sale price, P, of Irina’s sweater with an
original cost, c, is shown above. What percent off the original cost did Original cost did Irina
save?

A. 3%
B. 7%
C. 30%
D. 70%

14. 𝑇 = 1200 − 0.06𝑐

A print shop copies and prints documents in large volume for its customers. For a particular copy
machine, the equation above gives the amount of toner, T, in grams, left after making c copies.
How many grams of toner are used per copy?

0.06 grams

15. 16𝐵 + 3.5𝑊 = 22

Antoine bikes part of the way on a 22 mile trail and walks the rest of the way. If he spends B
hours biking and W hours walking, the trip is modeled by the equation shown above. What is the
meaning of the 16B in the equation?
A. Antoine travels a total of 16B miles.
B. Antoine bikes for a total of 16B miles.
C. Antoine bikes for 16B miles before starting his walk.
D. Antoine rides his bike at an average speed of 16B mile per hour.

16. 0.30𝑃 + 0.25𝐺 = 57

A homeowner uses G hour of natural gas heat and P hours of heat from a pellet stove to heat her
house one month, with a total of 57 therms of output. How many therms per hour does the pellet
stove output?
𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑠
ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟

17. 𝐶 = 40(5 − 𝑠)
After Hiro's family photo shoot the photographer sells the printed photos by the sheet. Hiro has a
$200 credit from a prior session, and the above equation gives the total credit left, C, in dollars, if
he buys 𝒔 sheets. How many sheets can Hiro purchase with his credit?
A. 5 sheets
B. 8 sheets
C. 35 sheets
D. 200 sheets