What is the result of the problem below ? Thanks

Question

Melissa works for the National Weather Station. During a stormy week, Melissa recorded the daily total for the first week of March. 

Date:                    March 1    March 2   March 3   March 4  March 5    March 6   March 7

Rainfall in inches:   3.25           5.62        1.05        4.1         7.23        1.88        0.06

The total amount of rainfall recorded for the first week of March in the three previous years was 48.91 inches. Last year the total rainfall was only 11.76 inches. The year before that was 16.78 inches. The third year's rainfall total is missing from the report.What is the missing total rainfall for year three? Melissa thinks this year's total rainfall for the first week of March exceeds each of the three previous year's rainfall totals for the first week of March. Is Melissa correct? Melissa thinks it will be interesting to find how many feet of rain the area has had in the first week of March for the past four years.What does Malissa discover about the number of feet of rain in the first week of March for the past four years? Show all your mathematical thinking.

Answer 1

Hi George,

 

Let's take each question in turn.

 

To find the amount of rainfall for the third previous year - it will be total amount for the three previous years minus the sum of the amounts for the first two previous years:

    3rd year rainfall = 48.91 - (11.76 + 16.78)

    3rd year rainfall = 48.91 - 28.54

    3rd year rainfall = 20.37 inches

 

To determine if the current year's rainfall amount for the 1st week of March exceeds that for any of the three previous years, we'll add up the amounts for each day and compare it against the largest amount so far which would be 20.37 inches in the third previous year:

    March 1      3.25

    March 2      5.62

    March 3      1.05

    March 4      4.10

    March 5      7.23

    March 6      1.88

    March 7      0.06

    -----------   ------

    1st week   23.19 inches

Since 23.19 > 20.37 - Melissa is correct

 

To determine the feet of rain that fell during the 1st week of March for the past 4 years, we'll convert each year's amount of rainfall from inches to feet by dividing each year's amount by 12

(12 inches to a foot):

    This Year:  23.19 / 12 = 1.9325 feet

    1st Previous Year:  11.76 / 12 = 0.98 feet

    2nd Previous Year:  16.78 / 12 = 1.3983 feet

    3rd Previous Year:  20.37 / 12 = 1.6975 feet

 

Thanks for submitting this problem and glad to help.

 

God bless, Jordan.