Answer:
Part 1)
5.5 inches.
Part 2)
[tex]y=-2.5t+18[/tex]
Step-by-step explanation:
We can write a linear equation to model the function.
Let y represent the inches of snow and let t represent the number of hours since the end of the snowstorm.
A linear equation is in the form:
[tex]y=mt+b[/tex]
Since there was 18 inches of snow in the beginning, our y-intercept or b is 18.
Since it melts at a constant rate of 2.5 inches per hour, our slope or m is -2.5.
Substitute:
[tex]y=-2.5t+18[/tex]
This equation models how much snow Jamal will have on his lawn after t hours of snow melting.
So, after five hours, t = 5. Substitute and evaluate:
[tex]y=-2.5(5)+18=5.5\text{ inches}[/tex]
After five hours, there will still be 5.5 inches of snow.