15 points!! Can you help me write equations with this? I already did/can do everything else, but I need help. A group of scientists studied the effect of a chemical on various strains of bacteria. Strain A started with 6000 cells and decreased at a constant rate of 2000 cells per hour after the chemical was applied. Strain B started with 2000 cells and decreased at a constant rate of 1000 cells per house after the chemical was applied. When will the strains have the same number of cells?

Also, my teacher's a bit odd, she legit GIVES us the answers (but we have to show work). The answer is... (4,-2000) which means in 4 hours, they will have the same number of cells and both will have lost 2000 cells.
The variables I defined are
x=number of hours
y=cells lost
Also if there is a mistake here can you correct it?
Please add an explanation as well.
I just need the 2 equations.

for the friend request.

when a figure, such as triangle (xyz) is reflected over the line y = x to create x'y'z' the x-coordinates and y-coordinates of the original image (pre-image) will be reversed for the image. (e.g., (x, y) > (y, x)) this means that the pre-image position of the x- and y-coordinates switch places which in turn provides a mirror like image of the original xyz.  

i notice that when i draw a line segment from x to x', that the points are parallel from each other -- they are exactly across from each other and do not intersect with any other points.  

yes, think i would see the same characteristic if you drew the line segment connecting y with the reflecting line and then y' with the reflecting line because of the essence of reflections. because it is a mirror image, each point was effected the same way which leads me to conclude that they same would apply to y and y'.

hello from mrbilldoesmath!

answer:

(7 x + 6 y) (49 x^2 - 42 x y + 36 y^2)

discussion:

the trick is to recognize that 343 = 7^3 and 216 = 6^3 and, in general,

a^3 + b^3 =   (a + b) (a^2 - a b + b^2).

in our case

343x^3+216y^3   =   (7x)^3 + (6y)^3

so take a = 7x and b = 6y in the above equation to get the answer.

you,

mrb