Question
Philip is snorkeling along a coral reef. He’s wearing an altimeter, which tracks his elevation. Philip snaps a picture of the reef at an elevation of - 10 1/2 feet. Then he spots a nurse shark and swims to it for a closer look. By the time he reaches the shark, his elevation changes by - 3 1/2 feet. What is Philip’s elevation when he reaches the shark?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
To find Philip's elevation when he reaches the shark, we need to add the change in elevation to his initial elevation.
1. **Initial elevation:** -10 1/2 feet
2. **Change in elevation:** -3 1/2 feet
Let's convert the mixed fractions to improper fractions for easier calculations:
-10 1/2 feet = -21/2 feet (since -10 * 2 = -20 and -20 + -1 = -21)
-3 1/2 feet = -7/2 feet (since -3 * 2 = -6 and -6 + -1 = -7)
Now, we add the two elevations together:
\[
-21/2 + (-7/2) = (-21 - 7)/2 = -28/2 = -14
\]
Philip's elevation when he reaches the shark is **-14 feet**.
1. **Initial elevation:** -10 1/2 feet
2. **Change in elevation:** -3 1/2 feet
Let's convert the mixed fractions to improper fractions for easier calculations:
-10 1/2 feet = -21/2 feet (since -10 * 2 = -20 and -20 + -1 = -21)
-3 1/2 feet = -7/2 feet (since -3 * 2 = -6 and -6 + -1 = -7)
Now, we add the two elevations together:
\[
-21/2 + (-7/2) = (-21 - 7)/2 = -28/2 = -14
\]
Philip's elevation when he reaches the shark is **-14 feet**.