Ruth borrowed a book from a library. The library charged a fixed rental for the book and a late fee for every day the book was o
verdue. The expression below shows the charges Ruth paid for the book when she returned it x days after the due date: 2 + 0.25x
Ruth borrowed a book from a library. The library charged a fixed rental for the book and a late fee for every day the book was overdue. The expression below shows the charges Ruth paid for the book when she returned it x days after the due date:
2 + 0.25x
What does the second term of the expression represent?
The total late fee paid
The fixed rental for the book
The late fee per day for the book
The number of days the book was overdue
Answer: The second term of the expression which is 0.25x is the variable cost which is the extra amount paid for being late.
The expression 2 + 0.25x represents the amount that Ruth paid for the book.
It should be noted that the fixed cost is represented by 2 while the 0.25 represents the variable cost which is the late fee. Also, the x represented the number of days for being late.
In conclusion, the second term of the expression represents the amount that was charged for being late.