The speed of Sheila's bicycle, in feet per second, before Sheila applied the brakes
The number of feet per second the speed of Sheila's bicycle decreased each second after Sheila applied the brakes
The number of seconds it took from the time Sheila began applying the brakes until the bicycle came to a complete stop
The number of feet Sheila's bicycle traveled from the time she began applying the brakes until the bicycle came to a complete stop
Explanation
Correct answer: C.
Choice C is correct. It's given that for each point on the graph of the given equation, the -coordinate represents the number of seconds after Sheila applied the brakes, and the -coordinate represents the speed of Sheila's bicycle at that moment in time. For the graph of the equation, the -coordinate of the -intercept is . Therefore, the -coordinate of the -intercept of the graph of the given equation represents the number of seconds it took from the time Sheila began applying the brakes until the bicycle came to a complete stop.
Desmos solution:
Note: The regression finds when the bicycle's speed is 0, so 3.6 is the number of seconds until it stops.
Enter in Desmos:
Reviewed and rewritten by CookSAT
Why the other choices are wrong
Choice A
Choice A is incorrect. The speed of Sheila's bicycle before she applied the brakes is represented by the -coordinate of the -intercept of the graph of the given equation, not the -coordinate of the -intercept.
Choice B
Choice B is incorrect. The number of feet per second the speed of Sheila's bicycle decreased each second after Sheila applied the brakes is represented by the slope of the graph of the given equation, not the -coordinate of the -intercept.
Choice D
Choice D is incorrect and may result from misinterpreting as the distance, in feet, traveled after applying the brakes, rather than the time, in seconds, after applying the brakes.