Expert: Abe Mantell - 8/13/2011

Question
I feel like i am missing information to solve this problem.

It is a surprising biological fact that most crickets chirp at a rate that increases as the temperature increases. For the snowy tree cricket the relationship between temperature and chirp rate is so reliable that this type of cricket is called the thermometer cricket. One can estimate the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit by counting the number of times a snowy trees cricket chirps in 15 seconds and adding 40. for instance if we count 20 chirps in 15 seconds, then a good estimate of temperature would be 20+40=60degreesF

The rule used to find the estimated temperature T (in F) based on measured chirp rate R (in chirps per min) is an example of a function. Describe this function in 4 different ways: using words, table, graph and formula...

I am having trouble setting up a formula.

Answer
Hello Kailey,

If we let x=the number of chirps in 15 seconds, then the temperature
is approximated by: T(x)=x+40, in degrees F.

For a table, just make a table of selected x-values then with the corresponding
temperaturess.

In words, it is simply:
The temp (in degrees F) can be aprroximated by counting the number of chirps a cricket
makes in 15 seconds, then adding 40 to that number.

For a graph, just plot the points you gave in the table, and/or plot the linear function
given above T(x)=x+40

OK?

Abe