Question

Write an equation for computing a tip in a restaurant. Does your equation represent a function? If so, what are your choices for the independent and dependent variables? If not, select none in the appropriate blanks.

Answer 1

Say the tip is 11% of the bill. That's 0.11 times the amount of the bill.

Let b = amount of the total bill

Let T = amount of the tip

An equation that describes the situation is

T(b) = 0.11b,

where T is the amount of the tip and b is the amount of the bill.

This equation represents a function. It determines T as a function of b (because the equation is solved for T, and only b appears on the right side).