• Feb 23rd 2010, 06:39 AM
brianfisher1208
The approximate number of accidents in one month,N, involving drivers between 16 and 30 years of age inclusive can be approximated by the equation or function N(a) = 2a squared - 80a + 500 where a = age of driver.

Calculate N(20) and explain what it means.

What's the domain of the function?

Can it be used to calculate the aprrox number of accidents for people 65 yrs of age?

• Feb 23rd 2010, 04:50 PM
HallsofIvy
Quote:

Originally Posted by brianfisher1208
The approximate number of accidents in one month,N, involving drivers between 16 and 30 years of age inclusive can be approximated by the equation or function N(a) = 2a(2 to the 10th power) - 80a + 500 where a = age of driver.

Calculate N(20) and explain what it means.

What you have written really makes no sense. If you really mean "(2 to the 10th power)", that is just $2^{10}= 1024$ so this could be more easily written "N(a)= 2048a- 80a+ 500= 1968a".

Did you mean a to the 10th power? Then it's just arithmetic: If
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N(a)= 2a^{10}- 80a+ 500
, then $N(20)= 2(20^{10})- 80(20)+ 500$.

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What's the domain of the function?
The problem says "where a= age of driver" and "drivers between 16 and 30 years of age".

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Can it be used to calculate the aprrox number of accidents for people 65 yrs of age?
The problem says "drivers between 16 and 30 years of age".

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