In 1993, Americans recycled 43.8 million tons of solid waste. In 2001, the ...

1) In 1993, Americans recycled 43.8 million tons of solid waste. In 2001, the figure grew to 68.0 million tons. Let the number of tons recycled, in millions, and the number of years since 1993. Source: Franklin Associates

a) Find the slope of the linear equation that fits these two pieces of data using the slope formula. (This is the amount that we would expect the amount of waste to increase every year.)

b) Using this slope, what would you estimate the amount of recycled waste in 1994 to be?

c) Using this slope, what would you estimate the amount of recycled waste in 2000 to be?

d) Explain how you would go about finding the y-intercept of the linear equation that fits this data (and find it).

e) Using the slope and y-intercept that you found in parts (a) and (d), write a linear equation to fit this data. 

f) Use this linear equation to find the estimated amount of solid waste recycled in 1997.

2) The table below shows data regarding the median age of women at first marriage in 1970 and in 2003. 

Year

Median Age of Women at First Marriage

1970

20.8

2003

25.0

a) Find the slope of the linear equation that fits these two pieces of data using the slope formula. (This is the amount that we would expect the median age of a newly married woman increase every year.)

b) Using this slope, what would you estimate the age of a just-married woman in 1972 to be?

c) Using this slope, what would you estimate the age of a just-married woman in 2001 to be?

d) Explain how you would go about finding the y-intercept of the linear equation that fits this data (and find it).

e) Using the slope and y-intercept that you found in parts (a) and (d), write a linear equation to fit this data. 

f) Use this linear equation to find the estimated median age of a just-married woman in 1980 to be?