Question

A bird is flying at an average altitude of 10 meters above the ground. After 3 seconds, it settles on a branch that is 3 meters above the ground. Interpret the quotient to describe the rate of change in the birds altitude. Give your answer to the nearest hundredth and remember that the bird is descending.

Answer 1

The quotient that describes the rate of change in the bird's altitude is -2.33.

This means that the bird is descending at a rate of approximately 2.33 meters per second.