Answer:
Sometime between the third and fourth year (3.5 years)
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the data provided, we know the initial enrollment in the Spanish class is 555. The trend shows 33 more students will enroll each year. So, being y the time in years, the equation for the number of students in the Spanish class is
[tex]S=555+33y[/tex]
As for the French class, since we lose 2 students each year the equation is
[tex]F=230-2y[/tex]
We require to know the value of y in the exact moment when S=3F
[tex]555+33y=3(230-2y)[/tex]
Operating
[tex]555+33y=690-6y[/tex]
Reducing
[tex]39y=690-555[/tex]
[tex]39y=135[/tex]
[tex]y=135/39=3.5\ years[/tex]
It means that sometime between the third and fourth year, there will be 3 times as many students taking Spanish as French
