How would you solve this?

Question

At  12:20 PM parachutist 6200 feet above the ground at 12:27 PM the parachutist is 1100 feet above the ground find the average rate of change in feet per minute.

Answer 1

Dear Anna,

     Q:   What is the average rate of change in feet per minute?

 

Ask yourself, "What was the time passed?"      Subtract the time:      12:20- 12:27= 7 minutes

 

Next,  what was the change in distance:  Subtract          6200-1100= 5,100 feet

 

Therefore, in 7 minutes, the parachutist dropped 5,100 feet, which is almost one mile.

 

Now, to find the change per minute, just set up a proportion:

 

feet/minutes  =   feet/ minutes                        5,100 feet/7 minutes    =     X feet/ 1 minute  Cross multiply.

 

                                                                          5,100=7X        Divide both sides by number next to X, and you're  done.

 

If I have helped you, please give me a thumbs up.

 

                                                                    Susan C.