A bookstore has a sale: Jen wants to buy four books: for $10.00, for
$12.00, for $15.00, and for $20.00.
What is the smallest she could pay for these books during the sale?
By what percent would the sale reduce the total cost of these four books?
Please explain all steps and please don't like any files to answers! Thanks! :)

you forgot an image

step-by-step explanation:

the solution of the equation is 2.23 ⇒ answer b

step-by-step explanation:

* lets revise the meaning of exponential function

- the form of the exponential function is y = ab^x, where a ≠ 0, b > 0 ,  

  b ≠ 1, and x is any real number

- it has a constant base b

- it has a variable exponent x

- to solve an exponential equation, take the log or ln of both sides,  

  and solve for the variable

* lets solve the problem

∵

- the base is 7 and the exponent is x

- insert ㏑ in both sides

∴

- use the rule

∴ x ㏑(7) = ㏑(77)

- to find x divide both sides by ㏑(7)

∴

* the solution of the equation is 2.23 to the nearest 2 decimal places

step-by-step explanation:

part a. the differences are decreasing, so we know the sequence is not arithmetic. the ratios are constant (=3/4), so we know the sequence is geometric.

part b. from part a, we know the common ratio is 3/4, so each term is 3/4 of the one before. the initial term is the number of gallons at h=1.

g[h] = (3/4)·g[h-1]

g[1] = 384 . . . . initial value required for a recursive definition

part c. the general formula for a geometric sequence is

a[n] = a[1]·r^(n-1)

we have a[1] = 384, r = 3/4, and the term number given by h. the formula that follows is

g[h] = 384·(3/4)^(h-1)

part d. filling in the value and doing the arithmetic, we have

g[12] = 384·(3/4)^11 ≈ 384·0.042235136 ≈ 16.2183 . . gallons

part e. each gallon is 4 quarts, so

16.2183 gal × 4 qt/gal = 64.8732 qt