Tyshawn is ordering a taxi from an online taxi service. He has to pay a flat charge just to order the taxi, and then has to pay per mile, depending on how far he travels. He wrote an equation to represent his total cost, \( y=4.5+2.4 x \), where \( y \) represents the total cost in dollars and cents, and \( x \) represents the number of miles he travels. What could the number 4.5 represent in the equation?

The number 4.5 in the equation represents the flat charge that Tyshawn has to pay just for ordering the taxi. This is a fixed fee that applies regardless of the distance he travels, meaning he spends at least $4.50 before factoring in the mileage costs. Additionally, it’s common for taxi services to have this base fare to cover initial costs, like the driver’s time and vehicle use, which establishes a starting point for the cost before the per-mile rate kicks in. So, that means when Tyshawn hops in, he’s already spent $4.50 before he’s even gone a single mile!