standard_description: Use variables to represent two quantities in a real-world problem that change in relationship to one another; write an equation to express one quantity, thought of as the dependent variable, in terms of the other quantity, thought of as the independent variable. Analyze the relationship between the dependent and independent variables using graphs and tables, and relate these to the equation. For example, in a problem involving motion at constant speed, list and graph ordered pairs of distances and times, and write the equation d = 65t to represent the relationship between distance and time.
problem_activity: Problem 1
At a market, long-grain rice can be purchased in any weight, measured in pounds. The cost and weight are proportional, for example, 5 pounds of rice costs $4.
a.   Write an equation to represent the cost,
$$y$$
, to purchase
$$x$$
pounds of long-grain rice.
b.   Determine the cost of 1, 10, and 15 pounds of rice.
c.   Graph the relationship between cost and weight of rice in the coordinate plane.
d.   What is the slope of the graph? What does it mean as a unit rate?
Problem 2
Nia and Trey both had a sore throat so their mom told them to gargle with warm salt water.
Nia mixed 1 teaspoon salt with 3 cups water.
Trey mixed
$${1\over 2}$$
teaspoon salt with 1
$${{1\over2}}$$
cups of water.
Nia tasted Trey’s salt water. She said,
“I added more salt so I expected that mine would be more salty, but they taste the same.”
a.   Explain why the salt water mixtures taste the same.
b.   Find an equation that relates
$$s$$
, the number of teaspoons of salt, with
$$w$$
, the number of cups of water, for both of these mixtures.
c.   Draw the graph of your equation from part (b).
d.   Your graph in part (c) should be a line. Interpret the slope as a unit rate.


aligns: no