James wants to compete in the international speed texting competition next year where participants compete on text speed and accuracy. James’s current text speed is 2 characters per second. James has found that his texting speed increases at a rate of 1⁄2 a character per second for each month that he practices.
1. a. What is James’s new texting speed if he practices for only 1 month?
b. What is James’s new texting speed if he practices for 2 months?
c. What is his new texting speed if he practices for 3 months?
d. Write an algebraic equation that gives James’s texting speed s for m months of
practice.

2. a. Solve the equation from question 1d to determine how many months of practice it will
take before James’s texting speed reaches 8 characters per second.
b. Explain the steps to solve your equation from question 2a.

3. a. If Lydia wants to text at least 8 characters per second, like James, then the equation
10r + 4 = 8 could be used to model this situation. Solve this equation for r.
b. Explain what the variable r represents in the equation given in question 3.

4. Consider the equation 8x + 5 = 37. Write a real-life scenario that this equation could model.