Question

A parking garage charges $3 for each of the first three hours. After three hours, the charge is $7 an hour. What is the total cost for five hours of parking? Which strategy that would help solve this word problem?

Answer 1

The correct answer is B) Write the equation (3 Times $3) + (2 Times $7) = total cost of five hours. That give us 23.

Explanation:

Edge 2021.

Answer 2

The answer is $23.

Explanation:

In order to determine the strategy, we have to understand when the cost increases. We can see the problem with two costs:

1. Base cost
2. Variable cost

The base cost is the interval of the first three hours. If you park 1, 1.5 or 2.2 hours, you will pay $3 for each hour.

The variable cost is the interval after the first three hours. If you park 4.5 hours, you will pay the base cost more two hours (1.5 extra hours rounded to 2 hours).

So the strategy is to separate the first three hours and the remained. The remained has to be rounded to the next whole number.

The cost is:

C=3*h+7*e

C: total cost of the parking garage

h: first three hours

e: extra hours (after the first three hours)

In this case:

h=3

e=2

C=3*3+7*2

C=9+14

C=23

Finally the total cost is $23.