The cost of maintaining a school is partly constant and partly varies as the number of pupils. With 50 pupils, the cost is $15,705.00 and with 40 pupils, it is $13,305.00. (a) Find the cost when there are 44 pupils. (b) If the fee per pupil is $360.00, what is the least number of pupils for which the school can run without a loss?
Explanation
Let P represent the cost ; n, the number of pupils and k and c, constant terms. (1) - (2) : Put c = 240 in (1), so that ------ formula connecting price and number of pupils. (a) When number of pupils, n = 44 (b) For school not to be at loss: The pupils should be 31 at least for the school not to run at loss.
