To solve this problem, we have to figure out a rule for the function. We are told that it is a two-step rule, so it is most likely the input multiplied by a coefficient plus a constant. Let’s let the input be represented by the variable x and the output be represented by the variable y. Using our knowledge, we can see that the outputs are close to triple the input, so we set up the preliminary equation:
y = 3x + b,
where b is a constant. If we want to solve for b, we must plug in one of our input/output pairs. If we plug in (5,16), we get the following:
16 = 3(5) + b
16 = 15 + b
1 = b
Then, we should substitute in this value into our equation and check our work.
y = 3x + 1
If we plug in the other points, this equation yields a true statement, so we know it is correct.
Hope this helps!
