A metal refining plant emits sulfur dioxide into the air and has decided to install air scrubbers to reduce the amount of pollution.Each scrubber costs $180,000 and the Environmental Protection Agency EPA)fines the plant $5,000 for every part of pollution emitted per million. Based on the information above,the first air scrubber __________ increases/decreases)the total cost of pollution by $______.

Question

A metal refining plant emits sulfur dioxide into the air and has decided to install air scrubbers to reduce the amount of pollution.Each scrubber costs $180,000 and the Environmental Protection Agency EPA)fines the plant $5,000 for every part of pollution emitted per million.  Based on the information above,the first air scrubber __________ increases/decreases)the total cost of pollution by $______.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Installing the air scrubber will decrease the amount of pollution emitted by the plant, thus decreasing the amount of fines the EPA will impose. The cost of one air scrubber is $180,000, and it will reduce the amount of pollution emitted by the plant, leading to a decrease in fines. The amount of decrease in fines depends on the amount of pollution emitted before the installation of the air scrubber. Therefore, it is not possible to calculate an exact amount of decrease in fines. However, we can say that the decrease will be greater than the cost of one air scrubber, which is $180,000. Option C is the only one that suggests a decrease in the cost of pollution.

A Metal Refining Plant Emits Sulfur Dioxide into the Air