At 5:00 p.m., Antonio turned on the oven. While the oven preheated, the temperature in the oven increased from 72°F to 400°F over a 10-minute period. The oven remained at 400°F for 45 minutes until Antonio turned it off. It took 60 minutes for the temperature in the oven to cool, returning to 72°F at 6:55 p.m. Which statement best explains whether or not the temperature in the oven is a function of the time?
Answer
A
It is a function because at any given time the oven was exactly one temperature.
B
It is a function because the oven temperature was the same at different times.
C
It is not a function because at any given time the oven was exactly one temperature.
D
It is not a function because the oven temperature was the same at different times.
Explanation
A relationship is a function when each input has exactly one output. Here, time is the input, and at every moment the oven had exactly one temperature, even while it was heating or cooling. The temperature being 400°F at multiple times does not violate the definition; different times may have the same temperature. Therefore, choice A is correct.
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