We are given a piecewise function for monthly sales and need to find the sales at x = 0 .
Since 0 ≤ x < 3 , we use the first part of the piecewise function: f ( x ) = 4000 ( 1.1 ) x .
Substitute x = 0 into the equation: f ( 0 ) = 4000 ( 1.1 ) 0 = 4000 ∗ 1 = 4000 .
The boutique's monthly sales when Jenny first began tracking the data were $4 , 000 .
Explanation
Understanding the Problem We are given a piecewise function that represents the monthly sales of a boutique. We want to find the sales when Jenny first began tracking the data. This means we need to find the value of the function when x = 0 , where x is the number of months since Jenny began tracking the data.
Choosing the Correct Piece The piecewise function is defined as:
$f(x)=\left{\begin{array}{ll}4,000(1.1)^x, & 0 \leq x<3 \ 100 x+5,024, & 3 \leq x<6 \ -x^2+5 x+5,630, & 6