rkbsaggi wrote:When a certain tree was first planted, it was 4 feet tall, and the height of the tree increased by a certain amount each year for the next 6 years. At the end of the 6th year, the tree was 1/5 taller than it was at the end of the 4th year. By how many feet did the height of the tree increase each year?
a. 3/10
b. 2/5
c. 1/2
d. 2/3
e. 6/5
Height of tree on day 0 = 4
Let d = the height increase each year
Height of tree at the end of the 1st year = 4+d
Height of tree at the end of the 2nd year = 4+d+d = 4 + 2d
Height of tree at the end of the 3rd year = 4+d+d+d = 4 + 3d
Height of tree at the end of the 4th year = 4+d+d+d+d = 4 + 4d
Height of tree at the end of the 5th year = 4+d+d+d+d+d = 4 + 5d
Height of tree at the end of the 6th year = 4+d+d+d+d+d+d = 4 + 6d
At the end of the 6th year, the tree was 1/5 taller than it was at the end of the 4th year
In other words, 6th year height = 4th year height + 1/5(4th year height)
Or we can write 4 + 6d = ( 4 + 4d) + 1/5(4 + 4d)
Simplify: 4 + 6d = 6/5(4 + 4d)
Multiply both sides by 5 to get: 5(4 + 6d) = 6(4 + 4d)
Expand: 20 + 30d = 24 + 24d
Simplify: 6d = 4
d = 4/6 = [spoiler]2/3[/spoiler] = spoiler]D[/spoiler]
Cheers,
Brent
