The linear function that can be used to determine the height, H, of the plane after m minutes is given by:
H(m) = 8000 - 500m
What is a linear function?
A linear function is modeled by:
[tex]y = mx + b[/tex]
In which:
- m is the slope, which is the rate of change, that is, by how much y changes when x changes by 1.
- b is the y-intercept, which is the value of y when x = 0, and can also be interpreted as the initial value.
In this problem:
- The plane is descending from an altitude of 8,000 feet, hence the y-intercept is b = 8000.
- The plane descends at a constant rate of 500 feet per minute, hence the slope is of m = -500.
Thus, the equation is:
H(m) = 8000 - 500m.
More can be learned about linear functions at https://brainly.com/question/24808124