Modeling Piecewise Linear Pricing

00:00 6 marks

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  • SL
  • Tier 3
  • Real-world applications
  • Linear functions
  • Piecewise functions
  • Mathematical Modeling
  • Domain and range

A telecommunications company charges its customers for mobile data usage based on a tiered pricing system:

– Up to 5 GB of data: $10 per GB.
– From 5 GB to 15 GB of data: $8 per GB for each GB exceeding 5 GB, in addition to the cost for the first 5 GB.
– Data usage beyond 15 GB: $5 per GB for each GB exceeding 15 GB, in addition to the cost for the first 15 GB.

(a) Define a piecewise function \(C(x)\) that models the total cost for \(x\) GB of data usage.

(b) Using your function, calculate the total cost for a customer who uses 20 GB of data in a month.

Part a

5 minutes 3 marks

Question

Define the piecewise function \(C(x)\) for the total cost of data usage. Use the following intervals:

– For \(0 \le x \le 5\): cost is \($10 per GB\).
– For \(5 15\): cost is \($5 per GB\) for each GB exceeding 15 GB, in addition to the cost for the first 15 GB.

Clearly indicate the domain restrictions for each segment.



Hint Hint

Hint

Structure your function as: \(C(x) = \begin{cases} … & \text{for } … \\ … & \text{for } … \\ … & \text{for } … \end{cases}\). Remember to include the accumulated cost from previous intervals in subsequent segments.

  • Answer Answer

Complete Answer

C(x) = \begin{cases} 10x & \text{for } 0 \le x \le 5 \\ 50 + 8(x-5) & \text{for } 5 < x \le 15 \\ 130 + 5(x-15) & \text{for } x > 15 \end{cases}

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Part b

5 minutes 3 marks

Question

Using the piecewise function defined in part (a), compute the total cost for a customer with 20 GB of data usage.



Hint Hint

Hint

Identify the correct interval for 20 GB based on the domain restrictions of your piecewise function, and then substitute \(x = 20\) into the corresponding piece.

  • Answer Answer

Complete Answer

155

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