Calculating Costs Worksheet (submit to course for grading)

Directions: Download this word document to print out/or type in your answers. Save it to your “Algebra
Project” folder. When completed, SUBMIT THIS WORKSHEET TO THE COURSE!
**To get help on this worksheet, log into your Desmos Account and view “Project: Calculating Costs
Worksheet”

This worksheet combines information from the “Route and Attractions Worksheet” and the “Accommodations and
Vehicle Costs Worksheet.” While you were working on those worksheets, you may have edited or revised your trip.
Make sure you’re working with the latest version of your trip so that all the information fits together.

Use the following questions 1-5 to help you write an equation to represent your combined expenses in Slope Intercept
Form: y = mx + b (Total combined expenses equals total per-day cost plus any other one time fees)
*Copy this to your powerpoint presentation*

1)
Food and Lodging cost per day: 225

Vehicle Rental cost per day: 67

Total cost per day: 292

2) Let x represent the number of days on the trip. Write an expression to represent the total cost per day for food,
lodging, and vehicle rental for any given number of days: 367x
*Copy this to your powerpoint presentation*

3)
Total cost of Media 150
Entertainment for entire group:

Total cost of Gas for entire trip: 3654

Total Cost of Attractions for 509

entire group:

Total one time costs: 4313

4) Does this cost change depending on the number of days you travel, or is it a constant cost? Explain your
reasoning.

The cost changes for the more amount of days you travel. The reason for that is, the more you drive, the more
gas you burn, and the more money you have to spend on the attractions.
*Copy this to your powerpoint presentation*
5) Write an equation that represents the FINAL combined expenses equations (using #1-4 above to help you). Your
equation should be in Slope Intercept Form: y = mx + b (Total combined expenses equals total per-day cost plus
any other one-time fees).
*Copy this to your powerpoint presentation*

Final combined expenses equation: 4605 = 4313 + 292

a) What is the real-world meaning of your slope?

b) What is the real-world meaning of your y-intercept?

6) One of the requirements for the trip is that the total combined expenses must be at least $8500 and no more
than $10,000. Based on this and using your equation from #5, what is the minimum number of days you can
spend on the road trip? Use algebra to solve, and show all work, typed or hand-written. *Copy this to your
powerpoint presentation*

16

7) Using your equation from #5, what is the maximum number of days you can spend on the road trip? Use
algebra to solve, and show all work, typed or hand-written. *Copy this to your powerpoint presentation*

16

8) Based on your work here, as well as the criteria outlined in the project, how many days will you spend on your
road trip? *Copy this to your powerpoint presentation*

To answer this question, check these criteria:

- The total combined expenses for the trip must be between $8500 and $10,000.
- The total trip length (including driving days AND days at attractions) must be between 7 and 31 days.
- You cannot drive more than 10 hours per day.

Make sure the trip length you choose fits with all these requirements. If it does not, then you’ll need to change some part
of your trip.

Final Number of Days Spent on Road Trip: 16

 9) Graph your combined expenses equation from #5 on this graph (enter your equation in box 2
https://www.desmos.com/calculator/kka4wyq5gb Take a screenshot of your final graph and paste into your
presentation. Click here to learn how to take a screenshot: https://www.take-a-screenshot.org/windows.html
*Copy this to your powerpoint presentation*

10) Interpreting your graph: Remember that you cannot go over 31 days and your expenses need to be between
$8,500 and $10,000. Using the graph, what is the minimum and maximum number of days you can go on this
road trip? *Copy this to your powerpoint presentation*

The minimum I can go is 16, The maximum I can go is 16

11) Does this value match what you found in your work in #6 and #7 above? Explain.
*Copy this to your powerpoint presentation*

Yes
 12) Use the table of values to determine if your work from above is correct and meets the total cost requirements.
Show the work for your values for the minimum and maximum number of days (from #6 and #7 above), and
your final decision on the number of days spent on the road trip (from part d above). *Copy this to your
powerpoint presentation*

Number Combined Costs Equation: Total cost

of Days (y)
(x)

Minimum: 16 4313 + 292 (per day) 8985

Maximum: 16 4313 + 292 (per day) 8985

Final 16 4313 + 292 (per day) 8985

Decision:
 13) After your three different representations, do you believe that you have met all criteria outlined for this Road
Trip? *Copy this to your powerpoint presentation*
● You can take UP TO 7 people on this trip
● The trip is between 7 and 31 days
● You traveled no more than 10 hours per day
● You spent between $8500 and $10,000
● You visited 3 different cities
● You visited 3 different major attractions (that costs money)

Yes I think I did because I recounted all my equations and made sure I added all that was needed.

Show what you know!

Answer the following questions and show all work for full credit. Work for show-what-you-know questions must be
included and HAND-WRITTEN to receive full credit. These questions can only be submitted and attempted once. (Do
NOT copy this to you presentation).

Logan is on a road trip and eating a bag of popcorn at a constant rate. Maria is eating popcorn at a constant rate too,
but from a smaller bag.
The equation y = -10x + 60 represents the amount of popcorn (in number of pieces) Logan has after x minutes.
The equation y = -5x + 40 represents the amount of popcorn (in number of pieces) Maria has after x minutes.

a) Complete the table below for each person.

Logan eating popcorn: y= -10x + 60 Maria eating popcorn: y = -5x + 40

Slope: Slope:

Meaning of the Slope: Meaning of the Slope:

Y-intercept: Y-intercept:

Meaning of the y-intercept: Meaning of the y-intercept:

b) Based on the above information, make a prediction: Who will finish their bag of popcorn first? Explain your
reasoning.

c) How long will it take Logan to finish his bag of popcorn? Calculate this using algebra, showing all steps using hand-
written work.
d) How long will it take Maria to finish her bag of popcorn? Calculate this using algebra, showing all steps using hand-
written work.

e) Sketch it! On the same graph, sketch the graph representing Logan and Maria. Be sure to label:
● x-axis (what does it represent in this scenario?)
● y-axis (what does it represent in this scenario?)
● y-intercept (label it as the y-intercept and as an ordered pair)
● x-intercepts for each (label it as the x-intercept and as an ordered pair)
● Which line represents each person

f) Who will finish their bag of popcorn first? Explain how you know.
NEXT STEPS:

1) SUBMIT this completed worksheet to the course for grading

a) Be sure to save this worksheet to your computer for later! You will revisit it throughout
the project!

2) UPDATE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION!

a) Copy Parts 1-13 from above into your Project Powerpoint on the slide: “CALCULATING
COSTS” Do not just include numbers here! Include what the answer represents!
(restate the question)
b) Save your presentation often!
i) You are not turning the Powerpoint Presentation in until later in the semester.