COMPARING PAY The pay for some jobs fluctuates more than the pay for others. You can use the Wolfram | Alpha search engine in order to research demand for and pay for many occupations. For this project, we will compare the pay between teachers and firemen. Search Wolfram | Alpha for: teacher, fireman 1. In what year was the most recent data collected? 202 0 How many people were employed in each occupation? million 2. US education, training, and library occupations: 1 . 36 9 93 _US fire fighters: 31 350 What was the mean salary for each occupation? 3. US education, training, and library occupations: $93 330 _US fire fighters: $ 6 3 bo 4. What was the median salary for each occupation? US education, training, and library occupations: $14 gan _US fire fighters: $ $2 , SOD The graph compares median wages of each occupation. Why was a better choice than mean wage? the median is not changed by the outlier significantly However, the mear is a wage that is unattainable and 6 . is very easily effected there fore, making it ineffective. If you assume that the change in median salary is linear, then you can find the equation that estimates annual median salary by applying the yearly change in median wage. Find, and graph, the equations - 2012 that represent the median salary per year for each occupation. Let x represent the year after zone and let y represent the median salary for that year. US education, training, and library occupations: y = $50 x+ 75, 000 US fire fighters: = box+ 49,000 100 00 teacher 7. How does your graph match up with the one shown? Answers vary 80 000 The graph matches well 10000 8. Use the equations from #6 to see which year the median salaries were 50009% 60 000 firefighter equal. How much was the median salary in that year? cannot find where the two 2012 2013 2014 cross . Ayearly salary 1650 /1 01 9. A more accurate linear model might be found by selecting two points on each line and finding the D years equation of the straight line through them. Use the graph given by Wolfram | Alpha to estimate the location of two points on each line. Give the equations: US education, training, and library occupations: y - y , = m ( x - x , ) (5 50) US fire fighters: 75, 060 Suggestions: Select two other occupations that you may be considering. Compare the demand for those jobs to see which has the better outlook. Compare the annual pay for those jobs. Systems of Equations and Inequalities 24 Activities Using Wolfram Alpha
