Where Math Gets Real
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ANSWER SHEET
Robot Dog vs. Real Dog
Use the graph below to examine the cumulative costs of owning an Aibo.
CUMULATIVE COST OF OWNING AN AIBO
$5,000 $4,000 $3,000 $2,000
$1,000 0
123456
YEAR SINCE GETTING AN AIBO
1 What is the approximate cumulative cost of an Aibo after 6 years?
2 A. An Aibo costs $2,899.99. This includes a toy ball, a charging station, and several years of AI cloud service,
which helps it learn. For how long is that service free? How do you know?
2B. The graph only shows the cumulative cost of the AI cloud service. What’s that fee per year after the free period?
3 The fee to adopt a dog from one shelter is $250. You will spend $1,000 in the first year for training, leashes,
food bowls, and more. Food and medical care cost about $750 per year. Plot the first 5 years of cumulative costs for owning a real dog on the line graph above.
4 When will a real dog cost more than an Aibo?
5 Which type of pet do you think is the better financial
investment? Explain your reasoning.