Question

In 1998 the U.S. Hispanic high school dropout rate was 29.5% and in 2008 it had dropped to 18.3%.

Answer 1

A. The drop-out rate can be estimated using the equation,

    d = my + b

where d is the drop-out rate, m is the slope of the line, y is the number of years from 1998 and b be the initial value. For 2008,

    18.3 = m(2008 - 1998) + 38.46

The value of m from the equation is -1.12. The equation becomes,

     d = -1.12y + 38.46

b. The vertical intercept of the model is when d is equal to zero.

    0 = -1.12y + 38.46

The value of y from the equation is 34.34.
   (34.34, 0)

c. n = 1990 + 34.34 = 2024.34. 

The vertical intercept of this problem tells me that by the year 2024, the drop-out rate would be 0%.