AP Precalculus

FRQ #2 – Modeling a Non-Periodic Context

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Comes from Units 1 and 2

Part A:
2 points. Part (i) will ask students to write a system of equations to find the parameters. Part (ii) will ask
them to find the parameters. Max of 4 parameters (a, b, c, and d) to find, depending on type of function.
One point for equations: one point for values.
Part B:
3 points. All 3 parts focus on AROC (average rate of change). Part (i) will ask students to calculate AROC.
Part (ii) will ask students to apply or interpret the AROC. Part (iii) will ask students for a reason.
Part C:
1 point. Part C will focus on a limitation or assumption of the model, like when the model is appropriate
to use or when the function breaks down. The question could focus on domain or range.

1. A scientist is growing bacteria in a lab. After 2 hours there were 32 bacteria. After 6 hours there
were 115 bacteria.

The number of bacteria can be modeled by the function P given by , where is

the number of bacteria t hours after he began.

(A) (i) Use the given data to write two equations that can be used to find the values for constants a

and b in the expression for .

(ii) Find the values for a and b as decimal approximations.

(B) (i) Use the given data to find the average rate of change of the number of bacteria, in bacteria
per hour, from to hours. Express your answer as a decimal approximation. Show the
computations that lead to your answer.

(ii) Use the average rage of change in (i) to estimate the number of bacteria for hours.
Show the computations that lead to your answer.
(iii) The average rate of change found in (i) can be used to estimate the number of bacteria
during hour t for hours. Will these estimates, found using the average rate of change, be
less than or greater than the number of bacteria predicted by the model during the hour t for
hours? Explain your reasoning.

(C) For which t-value, hours or hours, should the scientist have more confidence in
when using the model P? Give a reason for your answer in the context of the problem.
2. A restaurant added cheesecake to their menu. On the initial day they sold 11

cheesecakes. 40 days later they sold 62 cheesecakes. Twelve days after that
they sold 49 cheesecakes.

The number of cheesecakes sold can be modeled by the quadratic function ,

where is the number of cheesecakes sold on day t.

(A) (i) Use the given data to write three equations that can be used to find the values for constants

a, b, and c in the expression for .

(ii) Find the values for a, b, and c as decimal approximations.

(B) (i) Use the given data to find the average rate of change of the number of cheesecakes sold, in
cheesecakes per day, from to . Express your answer as a decimal approximation.
Show the computations that lead to your answer.

(ii) Use the average rate of change found in (i) to estimate the number of cheesecakes sold on
day . Show the work that leads to your answer.

(iii) Compare the estimate found in (ii) to the value given by the model . Using
characteristics of the average rate of change and characteristics of the quadratic model, explain
why the two estimates differ.

(C) Explain how the range values of the function should be limited by the context of the problem.
 Question 1
(A) (i) Use the given data to write two equations that can be used to find the values for constants a and b in the expression

for .
(ii) Find the values for a and b as decimal approximations.
Two equations 1 point

(i)
Values of a and b 1 point

(ii)
Total for part A 2 points

(B) (i) Use the given data to find the average rate of change of the number of bacteria, in bacteria per hour, from to
hours. Express your answer as a decimal approximation. Show the computations that lead to your answer.
(ii) Use the average rage of change in (i) to estimate the number of bacteria for hours. Show the computations that
lead to your answer.
(iii) The average rate of change found in (i) can be used to estimate the number of bacteria during hour t for hours.
Will these estimates, found using the average rate of change, be less than or greater than the number of bacteria
predicted by the model during the hour t for hours? Explain your reasoning.
Average rate of change
1 point
(i) bact/hour
Estimate using average rate of change
1 point

(ii)
So 177 or 178 bacteria
(iii) The estimate uses the average rate of change from t = 2 to t = 6, because the Answer with explanation
graph is concave up the secant line is below the graph, so the estimate using the 1 point
average rate of change will be less than the actual value.
Total for part B 3 points

(C) For which t-value, hours or hours, should the scientist have more confidence in when using the model P?
Give a reason for your answer in the context of the problem.
They should be more confident for the t = 4 estimate. 4 falls between the values Answer with reason
 used to create the model, (2, 6). We do not know how far outside the interval (2, 1 point
6) the model will be reasonable.
Total for part C 1 points

(A) (i) Use the given data to write three equations that can be used to find the values for constants a, b, and c in the expression for

.
(ii) Find the values for a, b, and c as decimal approximations.
Three equations 1 point

(i)
Values of a, b, and c
1 point

(ii)
Total for part A 2 points
(B) (i) Use the given data to find the average rate of change of the number of cheesecakes sold, in cheesecakes per day, from
to . Express your answer as a decimal approximation. Show the computations that lead to your answer.
(ii) Use the average rate of change found in (i) to estimate the number of cheesecakes sold on day . Show the work that
leads to your answer.

(iii) Compare the estimate found in (ii) to the value given by the model . Using characteristics of the average rate of
change and characteristics of the quadratic model, explain why the two estimates differ.
Average rate of change
1 point
(i)
Estimate using average rate of change
1 point

(ii) So, 56 or 57 cheesecakes

Answer with explanation
(iii) , so, either 58 or 59 cheesecakes. 1 point
Since the model is concave down, the secant line for t = 40 to t = 52 is below the model
on the interval (40, 52). Therefore, the estimate using the average rate of change is less
than the value given by the model
 Total for part B 3 points
(C) Explain how the range values of the function should be limited by the context of the problem.
You cannot sell a negative number of cheesecakes. The maximum value based on the Answer with reason
model is 63.602, which means 63 or 64 cheesecakes. The proposed range is [0, 64] 1 point

Total for part C 1 points