18 x 4 = 72
(9 x 2) x 4 = 72
9 x (2 x 4) = 72
The probability of an event is given by the number of favorable outcomes divided by the total number of outcomes. Here the event is the alarm clock running out of power. There are 24 hours during which the power can go out. You are asleep during 8 of these. A "favorable" outcome in this case is the power going out while you are sleeping -- that is, during one of those 8 hours. This makes the probability that the power goes out while you are sleeping 8/24.
Hmm they're both even numbers so maybe we can start by cutting each number in half.

18 and 48 had 2 as a common factor.
So factoring a 2 out of each number was the same as cutting each number in half. Try to do something similar with the 9 and 24. They each have something in common.
A function is increasing if it "points upwards".
Think that you have two inputs
(think of them as being very close to each other). A function
is increasing if

So, smaller input, smaller output.
So:
- In the first segment on the left, the function is decreasing: if you move with little steps rightwards, the output will get smaller and smaller (the function points to the right bottom)
- In the second segment, the line is constant (it's horizontal). This means that even if you consider a larger input, the output reimains the same
- In the third segment, the function is increasing: if you consider a larger input, the output will be larger as well: the function points to the top right.
- In the fourth segment, the function is decreasing again (look at the first bullet point)
So, the function is increasing in the third segment, which is delimited by
