Why Study Algebra?

[sigmagirl2000]

Well that was a few sentence explanation of a larger idea. Let's say your monthly plan is $50. You only get 150 texts a month with your plan.

your equation would be y=.10x+50

(x would be number of texts a month over the 150 you get included in plan. y would be the total amount you have to spend)

If you use less than 150 texts in the month, you only pay the $50. So your first point on the graph would be (0,50).

Now let's say you have a super social teenager, and he decides that "texts are pretty cheap!" and uses 1,000 texts in that one month. That's 850 more texts that you get in your plan. Each additional text over your plan costs .10 (I think that's what I used as a random example in previous post). so 850 texts at .10 each comes out to be $85 in texts. (craziness!)

So if you wanted to graph that point, it would be (850, 135) (the 850 is the number of texts beyond what you get. the 135 is the total cost for the month, the $50 monthly charge + the $85 in texts.

If you plot those two points, connect them with a ruler, and you have your line graphed.

Did that make any more sense or just cause more confusion? (it's hard to explain without writing down or speaking)