4. In a certain year, a postal service would deliver a first-class letter weighing 3.5 ounces or less for the following prices: not more than 1 ounce, 46¢; more than 1 ounce but not more than 2 ounces, 73¢; more than 2 ounces but not more than 3 ounces, 91¢; and more than 3 ounces but not more than 3.5 ounces, $1.13. Use this information to answer the following. a. Write a piecewise function, P(w), that determines the price P in cents as a func- tion of the weight w in ounces. b. Sketch the graph of P(w). c. Use the information from (a) and (b) to determine the values in the open interval (0, 3.5) that the function is discontinuous.

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Author:Erwin Kreyszig
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### Postal Service Pricing Problem

#### Problem Statement
In a certain year, a postal service would deliver a first-class letter weighing 3.5 ounces or less for the following prices:
 
- Not more than 1 ounce, 46¢;
- More than 1 ounce but not more than 2 ounces, 73¢;
- More than 2 ounces but not more than 3 ounces, 91¢;
- More than 3 ounces but not more than 3.5 ounces, $1.13. 

Use this information to answer the following:

#### Part (a)
**a. Write a piecewise function, \( P(w) \), that determines the price \( P \) in cents as a function of the weight \( w \) in ounces.**

The piecewise function \( P(w) \) can be represented as follows:

\[ 
P(w) = 
\begin{cases} 
46 & \text{if } 0 < w \leq 1 \\
73 & \text{if } 1 < w \leq 2 \\
91 & \text{if } 2 < w \leq 3 \\
113 & \text{if } 3 < w \leq 3.5 
\end{cases}
\]

#### Part (b)
**b. Sketch the graph of \( P(w) \).**

The graph of \( P(w) \) can be described as a step function where each interval of \( w \) corresponds to a different constant price. Below is a detailed description of the graph:

- The graph starts at \( (0, 0) \) and remains at \( 46 \) cents for \( 0 < w \leq 1 \).
- It jumps to \( 73 \) cents at \( w = 1 \) and stays constant for \( 1 < w \leq 2 \).
- At \( w = 2 \), the graph jumps to \( 91 \) cents and stays constant for \( 2 < w \leq 3 \).
- Finally, the graph jumps to \( 113 \) cents at \( w = 3 \) and remains for \( 3 < w \leq 3.5 \).

#### Graph Explanation
The \( x \)-axis represents the weight of the letter \( w \) in ounces, while the \( y \)-
Transcribed Image Text:### Postal Service Pricing Problem #### Problem Statement In a certain year, a postal service would deliver a first-class letter weighing 3.5 ounces or less for the following prices: - Not more than 1 ounce, 46¢; - More than 1 ounce but not more than 2 ounces, 73¢; - More than 2 ounces but not more than 3 ounces, 91¢; - More than 3 ounces but not more than 3.5 ounces, $1.13. Use this information to answer the following: #### Part (a) **a. Write a piecewise function, \( P(w) \), that determines the price \( P \) in cents as a function of the weight \( w \) in ounces.** The piecewise function \( P(w) \) can be represented as follows: \[ P(w) = \begin{cases} 46 & \text{if } 0 < w \leq 1 \\ 73 & \text{if } 1 < w \leq 2 \\ 91 & \text{if } 2 < w \leq 3 \\ 113 & \text{if } 3 < w \leq 3.5 \end{cases} \] #### Part (b) **b. Sketch the graph of \( P(w) \).** The graph of \( P(w) \) can be described as a step function where each interval of \( w \) corresponds to a different constant price. Below is a detailed description of the graph: - The graph starts at \( (0, 0) \) and remains at \( 46 \) cents for \( 0 < w \leq 1 \). - It jumps to \( 73 \) cents at \( w = 1 \) and stays constant for \( 1 < w \leq 2 \). - At \( w = 2 \), the graph jumps to \( 91 \) cents and stays constant for \( 2 < w \leq 3 \). - Finally, the graph jumps to \( 113 \) cents at \( w = 3 \) and remains for \( 3 < w \leq 3.5 \). #### Graph Explanation The \( x \)-axis represents the weight of the letter \( w \) in ounces, while the \( y \)-
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