Concept explainers
To find: Which function is continuous?
a. Number of students enrolled in a particular school over time
b. Outdoor temperature over time.
c. Price of U.S. postage as a result of the letter's weight.
d. A stock's price as a function of time.
e. Number of soft drinks served at a ballpark as a function of outdoor temperature
The correct option is (b).
Calculation:
(a) This is not continuous. The function would "jump" between integers (from
(b) This is continuous. Temperature is defined as a real number, and it is possible for temperature to change continuously.
(c) This is not continuous. Postage is usually defined in non-continuous terms-for example, you pay a certain rate up to
(d) This is not continuous. A stock is usually priced at dollars and cents (or other currency units), and not at fractions or subdivisions of cents.
(e) This is not continuous, as the number of soft drinks is expressed as a positive integer (same as option A).
Chapter 1 Solutions
PRECALCULUS:GRAPHICAL,...-NASTA ED.
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