According to Dolbear's law, you can predict the temperature T (in degrees Fahrenheit) by counting the number x of chirps made by a snowy tree cricket in 1 minute. For each rise in temperature of 0.25°F, the cricket makes an additional chirp each minute. a. A cricket chirps 40 times in 1 minute when the temperature is 50°F. Write an equation in slope-intercept form that represents the temperature in terms of the number of chirps in 1 minute. equation: T = _ b. You count 100 chirps in 1 minute. What is the temperature? The temperature is_ ºF. c. The temperature is 96 °F. How many chirps would you expect the cricket to make? _chirps

Short answer T = n/4 + 40; 100 chirps = 65oF; 96o F = 224 chirps.

Comment

You have to find the base temperature (the y intercept) where there are no chirps. Then you have to use 1 chirp = 0.25oF

Givens

50oF = 40 chirps

1 chirp = 0.25oF

Discussion and development of the formula

That implies that the base temperature was 10 degrees lower, because for every chirp increase per minute the temperature increases 0.25oF

1 chirp = 0.25oF

40 chiprs = x Cross multiply

1*x = 0.25 * 40

x = 10oF

So the base temperature or the y intercept is 40oF

So far what you have is

T = n + 40 Where n is the number of chirps you hear. Now at 50oF which is 10oC more, you get 40 chirps. So n has to be divided by 4 (for the 0.25oF)

T = n/4 + 40

Where n is the number of chirps per minute.

Now try the samples with our formula.

Problem one

n = 100 chirps per minute

T = 100/4 + 40

T = 25 + 40

T = 65 oF

Problem Two

T = 96

n = ?

96 = n/4 + 40 Subtract 40 from both sides.

96 - 40 = n/4

56 = n/4 Multiply by 4

224 = n

You would expect 224 chirps / minute

Very interesting theorem. You can search the internet to find out how this was used on the Big Bang Theory.