Critical Thinking Assignment (75 Points)

Required

• Chapter: Just-in-Time Review, Sections 1 through 28, in Algebra & Trigonometry: Graphs and Models.
  Watch mini-lectures provided to enhance the readings.

Recommended

• Demme, E. (2014, September 11). 3 reasons why we learn algebra [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://demmelearning.com/learning-blog/3-reasons-why-we-learn-algebra/
• Lewis, H. (2017). 10 reasons for studying algebra. Retrieved from http://www.mathscareers.org.uk/article/10-reasons-for-studying-algebra/

Important! Read First

Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.

Option #1: Buying a New Car

Suppose you want to buy a new car and trying to choose between two models:

• Model A: costs $17,000 and its gas mileage is 20 miles per gallon and its insurance is $200 per year.
• Model B: costs $25,000 and its gas mileage is 35 miles per gallon and its insurance is $400 per year.

If you drive approximately 40,000 miles per year and the gas costs $3 per gallon:

• Find a formula for the total cost of owning Model A where the number of years is the independent variable.
• Find a formula for the total cost of owning Model B where the number of years is the independent variable.
• Find the total cost for each model for the first five years.
• If you plan to keep the car for four years, which model is more economical? How about if you plan to keep it for six years?
• Find the number of years in which the total cost to keep the two cars will be the same.
• Identify the number of months where neither car holds a cost of ownership advantage.
• What effect would the cost of gas doubling have on cost of ownership? Graph or show hand calculations.
• If you can sell neither car for 40% of its value at any time, how does the analysis change? Graph or show hand calculations.

Requirements:

1. Paper must be written in 3^rd person.
2. Your paper should be 4-5 pages in length (counting the title page and references page) and cite and integrate at least one credible outside source. The CSU-Global Library (Links to an external site.) is a great place to find resources. Your textbook is a credible resource.
3. Include a title page, introduction, body, conclusion, and a reference page.
4. The introduction should describe or summarize the topic or problem. It might discuss the importance of the topic or how it affects you or society as a whole, or it might discuss or describe the unique terminology associated with the topic.
5. The body of your paper should answer the questions posed in the problem. Explain how you approached and answered the question or solved the problem, and, for each question, show all steps involved. Be sure this is in paragraph format, not numbered answers like a homework assignment.
6. The conclusion should summarize your thoughts about what you have determined from the data and your analysis, often with a broader personal or societal perspective in mind. Nothing new should be introduced in the conclusion that was not previously discussed in the body paragraphs.
7. Include any tables of data or calculations, calculated values, and/or graphs associated with this problem in the body of your assignment.
8. Document formatting, citations, and style should conform to the CSU-Global Virtual Library CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA: Introduction (Links to an external site.). A short summary containing much that you need to know about paper formatting, citations, and references is contained in the New Sample APA Paper (Links to an external site.). In addition, information in the CSU-Global Virtual Library (Links to an external site.) under the Writing Center/APA Resources tab has many helpful areas (Writing Center, Writing Tips, Template & Examples/Papers & Essays, and others).

Option #2: Buying or Renting a Copier

As an office manager, you want to choose from buying a copier or renting one. You can buy one for $6000 with a fee of $40 a month or rent a copier machine for $200 per month. The cost of copying if you own one is four cents per copy and when you rent it, the cost is eight cents per copy. You estimate that you make 5000 copies per month.

• Find a formula for the cost of copying when you own the machine by using the number of months as independent variable.
• Find a formula for the cost of copying when you rent the machine by using the number of months as independent variable.
• Find the cost for each option for each year of the first five years.
• Suppose you want to keep the copier machine for eight years; which option is better for you? How about if you want to keep the same machine for 10 years?
• After how many years would the cost of both options be the same?
• Identify the number of months where neither owning or renting the machine holds a cost of ownership advantage.
• What effect would the cost of copying doubling have on cost of ownership and renting? Graph or show hand calculations.
• If you cannot sell the copier for 40% of its value at any time, how does the analysis change? Graph or show hand calculations.

Requirements:

1. Paper must be written in 3^rd person.
2. Your paper should be 4-5 pages in length (counting the title page and references page) and cite and integrate at least one credible outside source. The CSU-Global Library (Links to an external site.) is a great place to find resources. Your textbook is a credible resource.
3. Include a title page, introduction, body, conclusion, and a reference page.
4. The introduction should describe or summarize the topic or problem. It might discuss the importance of the topic or how it affects you or society as a whole, or it might discuss or describe the unique terminology associated with the topic.
5. The body of your paper should answer the questions posed in the problem. Explain how you approached and answered the question or solved the problem, and, for each question, show all steps involved. Be sure this is in paragraph format, not numbered answers like a homework assignment.
6. The conclusion should summarize your thoughts about what you have determined from the data and your analysis, often with a broader personal or societal perspective in mind. Nothing new should be introduced in the conclusion that was not previously discussed in the body paragraphs.
7. Include any tables of data or calculations, calculated values, and/or graphs associated with this problem in the body of your assignment.
8. Document formatting, citations, and style should conform to the CSU-Global Virtual Library CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA: Introduction (Links to an external site.). A short summary containing much that you need to know about paper formatting, citations, and references is contained in the New Sample APA Paper (Links to an external site.). In addition, information in the CSU-Global Virtual Library (Links to an external site.) under the Writing Center/APA Resources tab has many helpful areas (Writing Center, Writing Tips, Template & Examples/Papers & Essays, and others).