Chapter 3.3, Problem 7E

Tuition at American Public Universities This is a continuation of Exercise 6. The following table shows the average yearly in-state tuition and required fees, in dollars, charged by four-year American public universities in the school year ending in the given year.

Date	Average tuition
2012	$8318
2013	$8595
2014	$8872
2015	$9149
2016	$9426

a. Show that these data can be modeled by a linear function, and find its formula.

b. What is the slope for the linear function modeling tuition and required fees for public universities?

c. What is the slope of the linear function modeling tuition and required fees for private universities? (Note: See Exercise 6.)

d. Explain what the information in parts b and c tells you about the rate of increase in tuition in public versus private institutions.

e. Which type of institution shows the larger percentage increase from 2015 to 2016?

6. Tuition at American Private Universities The following table shows the average yearly tuition and required fees, in dollars, charged by four-year American private nonprofit universities in the school year ending in the given year.

Date	Average tuition
2012	$27, 870
2013	$29, 004
2014	$30, 138
2015	$31, 272
2016	$32, 406

a. Show that these data can be modeled by a linear function, and find its formula.

b. Plot the data points and add the graph of the linear formula you found in part a.

c. What prediction does this formula give for average tuition and fees at four-year American private nonprofit universities for the academic year ending in 2021?