Answer
$y=40t+290$
Work Step by Step
Let y represent the imports of pasta (in millions of pounds)
as a linear function of t, the number of years after 1990.
The model: $y=mt+b$.
The unit of slope is: (units of y) per (unit of t),
that is "million pounds per year".
The problem text gives us "40 million pounds per year",
that is, $m=40$
So far, $\quad y=40t+b$
The intercept, b, is the value of y when t=0.
The text gives us $b=290.$
Thus,
$y=40t+290$ (million pounds of pasta)
