Find the difference in height between the top of a hill 973 feet high and a crack caused by an earthquake 79 feet below sea level.

Question

Solve the problem 

Answer 1

Hi Dalinda,

 

Figure that the distance above ground is positive and the distance below ground is negative.  The ground is the zero level.

 

Then remember that when you subtract a negative number from a positive number, you need to change the signs, ,

 

Example:  3 - (-2) = 3 + 2 = 5

 

Have fun.

 

Dan

Answer 2

Hi Dalinda, if you lived in California close to Death Valley, this is a question you would see often. The problem in determining the difference in elevations is elevations above sea level have a plus in front of them. Elevations below sea level have a minus in front of them.

 

Normally, to compute the difference in height you would subtract the smaller elevation from the larger elevation. When one number is below sea level, you have to add the additional minus sign.

 

The difference in height between the hill 973 feet above sea level and the crack 79 feet below sea level is:

 

Difference in height = 973 - (-79)

 

Which is equal to 1052 feet.

 

Questions?