Determine the initial value and the rate of change in the following description.

Last year, Joshua’s tomato plant reached a maximum height of 2 feet. He is growing another tomato plant this year, and he is tracking its growth. The plant’s height today is 10 inches, and it grows 1.7 inches each day.

The initial value is b= _____, and the rate of change is m=_____.

The initial value is b = 10 inches (the height of the plant today), and the rate of change is m = 1.7 inches/day.