Question

Which situation results in a change that could be modeled by a negative number?
a change in elevation from 492 feet to 783 feet
a change in elevation from –12 feet to 123 feet
a change in elevation from sea level to 87 feet
a change in elevation from 632 feet to 312 feet

Answers

GPT-4o mini
In order to determine which situation results in a change that could be modeled by a negative number, we need to look for a scenario where the change in elevation represents a decrease in height.

1. **A change in elevation from 492 feet to 783 feet**: This represents an increase in elevation (783 - 492 = 291 feet).

2. **A change in elevation from –12 feet to 123 feet**: This represents an increase in elevation (123 - (-12) = 123 + 12 = 135 feet).

3. **A change in elevation from sea level to 87 feet**: Sea level is represented by 0 feet, so this is an increase (87 - 0 = 87 feet).

4. **A change in elevation from 632 feet to 312 feet**: This represents a decrease in elevation (312 - 632 = -320 feet).

The situation that results in a change that could be modeled by a negative number is:

**A change in elevation from 632 feet to 312 feet.**