Police Entry Practice Test 2026 – Comprehensive All-in-One Guide to Ace Your Exam Success!

To determine the value of a car that starts at $20,000 and depreciates to $755 over 15 years, we can use a linear depreciation model. The formula for the value of the car over time is typically expressed as:

V = initial value - (depreciation rate per year * time)

In this case, the initial value is $20,000, and after 15 years, the value is $755. The total depreciation over 15 years can be calculated by finding the difference between the initial value and the final value:

Total Depreciation = Initial Value - Final Value

Total Depreciation = 20,000 - 755 = 19,245.

Next, to find the yearly depreciation rate, we divide the total depreciation by the number of years of depreciation:

Depreciation Rate = Total Depreciation / Number of Years

Depreciation Rate = 19,245 / 15 = 1,283.

This means the car depreciates by approximately $1,283 each year. Therefore, the equation to represent the value of the car over time T (in years) is:

V = 20,000 - 1283T,

which can be rearranged to match the form