In order to make 'q' the independent variable in the equation, you need to solve for 'r'. The dependent variable would be 'r' because it depends on the value of 'q' to be solved. We can solve for 'r' by using inverse operations and completing the same operation on both sides of the equation. Starting with the initial equation and solving for 'r':
-7q + 12r = 3q -4
Add '7q' to both sides: -7q + 7q + 12r = 3q - 4 + 7q or 12r = 10q - 4
Hello! The answer to your question is that the average outdoor cat will live about 13.52 years longer than the average indoor cat. 16.70 - 3.18 = 13.52 Hope this helped! :D